


this old world is a new world (and a bold world)

by aletterinthenameofsanity



Series: this could be good (love is patient, love is kind) [10]
Category: Power Rangers, Power Rangers R.P.M.
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bars and Pubs, But on the other hand, Cartel!Ziggy, Dancing, Developing Relationship, GASP, Grid Theory, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Making Out, Not any of the mains, POV Scott, just you know the rest of the world, lookee my first RPM fic without Ziggy/Dillon, massive plot twist in later half of the season, my favorite headcanon makes a reappearance, still in RPM 'verse don't worry, trans!ziggy, ya know a whole subplot abt colors Rangers wear
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-20
Updated: 2020-02-11
Packaged: 2020-05-14 00:38:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 30,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19262443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aletterinthenameofsanity/pseuds/aletterinthenameofsanity
Summary: They meet in a club in the last city on earth.Scott’s a Series Operator, just a few months into his duties. He’s made himself a good leader to his team, but he’s still feeling out what that means to the rest of the city. What he represents to the rest of the city.And Ziggy, well...he’s a bartender on weekends, nothing too flashy or strange.(But the rest of the week? Well, his job isn’t so normal. He’s a member of Fresno Bob’s cartel- mostly used as a runner for small transactions, though Fresno Bob is also training him for bigger things.)And these two meet on the dance floor of the cartel-run club on the corner of 6th and South Streets.They dance for hours, music from before The End blasting over the speakers of the cartel-run club. Usher. The Killers. Britney Spears. Beyonce. Lady Gaga. P!nk. All music that’s good to dance to, with a heavy beat and often sensual lyrics. Scott, for the first time since he became a Series Operator, is able to let loose and get up close and personal with a hot guy.(It almost makes him forget about his brother’s death and the encroaching Venjix and the past couple of months of horror and training and fighting.)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Jen425](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jen425/gifts), [Estirose](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Estirose/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Terolalaine](https://archiveofourown.org/works/175195) by [Estirose](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Estirose/pseuds/Estirose). 



> Title is from "Feeling Good" by Nina Simone, though I listened to the version by Avicii and Audra Mae.
> 
> My brain: you know, you should probably finish writing that Ninja Storm fic or that Leverage/Ella Enchanted AU or that Avengers fic that's at 16,000 words so you can post them or maybe FINISH ONE OF THOSE FUCKING WIPS THAT YOU KEEP IGNORING-
> 
> Me: *yeets yet another RPM AU into the void*
> 
> Also ft. new shit such as The Year That RPM Implied But Never Showed, Ziggy fully in the cartels, a bar/implied sexual content/making out/#"sensual dancing," and Scott/Ziggy, which I definitely did not ship before writing all these AUs but writing "swing my heart across the line" and "when I watch the world burn" convinced me otherwise.
> 
> Also, the discussion of what it's like for Ziggy to be trans and be in the cartels, though brief, was inspired by Estirose's fic. So I wanted to gift this to them.

_something about the dark._

_something about queer bodies and the way we find one another._

_something about the place where fear melts in the mouth and gets lost in kisses and under fingernails._

_something about the sanctity of trust, of midnight confessions, of held breath let out on a sigh like a smoke signal, a safe harbor._

_some kind of magic._

_the kind that’s only for us._

**-ashe vernon, _queer gospel and trans hymnals_**

 

They meet in a club in the last city on earth.

Scott’s a Series Operator, just a few months into his duties. He’s made himself a good leader to his team, but he’s still feeling out what that means to the rest of the city. What he _represents_ to the rest of the city.

And Ziggy, well...he’s a bartender on weekends, nothing too flashy or strange. A job that wouldn’t seem too out of place in the world they left behind.

(But the rest of the week? Well, his job isn’t so normal. He’s a member of Fresno Bob’s cartel- mostly used as a runner for small transactions, though Fresno Bob is also training him for bigger things.)

And these two meet on the dance floor of the cartel-run club on the corner of 6th and South Streets.

Ziggy’s a gratuitous flirt with very little natural charisma to back his words up with, but Scott can’t help but be a bit charmed by the sheer effort he's putting in. 

It also doesn’t hurt that they dance for hours, music from before The End blasting over the speakers of the cartel-run club. Usher. The Killers. Britney Spears. Beyonce. Lady Gaga. P!nk. All music that’s good to dance to, with a heavy beat and often sensual lyrics. Scott, for the first time since he became a Series Operator, is able to let loose and get up close and personal with a hot guy.

(It almost makes him forget about his brother’s death and the encroaching Venjix and the past couple of months of horror and training and fighting.

Almost.)

-

Scott comes back the next Friday night. And then the Friday night after that. The only Friday nights he _doesn’t_ show are nights interrupted by Venjix, and even then he shows up on Saturday instead, which means he doesn't get to dance with Ziggy, but instead gets to see him in his element pouring drinks.

“You do know that you can miss a week, right?” Ziggy says with a raised eyebrow as he pours drinks for the guy at the end of the bar. As he moves, filling the glasses with a certain kind of awkward grace, his sleeve moves up just a little. His skin is near bare, but there is a single line of dark ink running up his wrist- two words, just like 90% of the citizens of Corinth.

(A name. Probably of his Soulmate, who’s probably dead.)

“Well, then how would I see your beautiful face?” Scott asks, tongue just a little loosened by the alcohol in his hand.

(After the end of the world, drinking laws don't really apply. Scott's only nineteen and he's protecting the city as the Red Series Operator- alcohol is far from the most dangerous thing he's dealing with nowadays.)

Ziggy glances down at the glass in Scott’s hands. “You've only drank like half of a glass. There's no way you're tipsy yet."

"My flirting can't be  _that_ bad," Scott protests, and Ziggy snorts.

"I'm the bartender," Ziggy says, "Everyone flirts with me for extra drinks. You're going to need to step up your game."

Scott grins. He has a feeling that pulling his title as the Red Series Operator will get him nowhere with Ziggy, unlike how it would with most of the rest of the city. "Alright, then," he says, "I can try more over the next few weeks."

There is something almost approaching surprise on Ziggy's face. "You think you'll be back over the next few weeks?"

"Unless you insist on pushing me away," Scott answers honestly. He may be a bit tipsy, but he is definitely one to respect boundaries.

Ziggy's gives Scott a half-smile that almost borders on flirtatious. "Nah," Ziggy says, "I'd rather see your dance moves again. Though, of course, they're nothing compared to mine."

Scott snorts. "Oh, you'll be eating your words..." His voice trails off as he realizes he doesn't know Ziggy's last name.

"Grover," Ziggy fills in the blanks, "Ziggy Grover."

Well, that's certainly a name. "Scott Truman," Scott offers in turn.

Ziggy smirks. "Oh, I know."

Then Scott’s Morpher goes off with an alarm, and he’s instantly on his feet, smile slipping away into sternness. "I've got to go," he says.

Ziggy glances at Scott’s arm. “Got something to save?”

Scott nods. “See you next week,” he says even as he’s heading out the door, and Ziggy gives him a crooked grin.

“See you then.”

-

Scott works up the courage to ask Ziggy about his Marks when they’re outside the club two weeks later. The week in between, they'd danced the night away, leaving not many opportunities for sensitive conversations.

As for now, though- Ziggy’s currently taking a pull from his cigarette- a habit Scott’s noticed that he carries.

(Scott knows that the only people in the city who can afford such a habit are members of the cartels, the ones who traffick in rare goods, or those associated with them, like people who work the cartel's club.

Well, he takes that back. If one of the Series Operators wanted something like a cigarette, then he's pretty sure that any citizen would be willing to give it to them. Scott's not blind to the power that being a Series Operator has in the last city on earth, the power that being a hero gives him.)

“What’s on your arm?" Scott asks, careful to keep his voice respectful. He has a feeling about the answer, and it's not a tattoo. It's not a joking flirt. The Marks on Ziggy's wrist- they're probably not a happy story.

Ziggy rolls up the sleeve of his button-up to show the entirety of the words on his arm- it’s a name. A name, just like every person in Corinth that had their Soulmate die carries on their arm.

(God, Scott is so happy that he’s Soulless, that he didn’t have to deal with the death of a Soulmate on top of all the other shit the Apocalypse has thrown at him.)

Ziggy’s arm reads  _AJ Peterson._

“He was from Ocean Bluff," Ziggy says, voice a bit softer than usual, and Scott raises an eyebrow.

"The city where the Jungle Fury Rangers operated out of?" Scott asks, and Ziggy nods.

"He survived the attacks by Dai Shi just fine," Ziggy says, taking a small pull of the cigarette. "But Venjix...Venjix just kept coming and never stopped. It overwhelmed and destroyed and drowned the whole world. And AJ didn't make it out."

Well, shit. That fucking sucks. The fact that Ziggy's Soulmate died when Ziggy's just-

Wait a minute. How old is Ziggy? He looks like he could be anywhere between sixteen and his mid-twenties. Scott would guess a bit on the younger side, but he can't be entirely sure.

Scott waits a minute for Ziggy to take a few more puffs of the cigarette before he asks, thus giving Ziggy's mood a few moments to come closer to its usual blase state.

Ziggy gives Scott a sideways smirk (his eyes are a bit darker than usual, but he seems otherwise back to normal), and Scott takes that as his cue. "How old are you, Ziggy?"

Ziggy raises an eyebrow. "Why do you care?" He asks, voice mostly curious but with a certain undertone of suspicion. And Scott gets that suspicion- he  _does_ work for the government, if in a rather special position.

"Just want to learn more about you," Scott answers honestly.

"Well, I'm seventeen," Ziggy says, "I'll turn eighteen in a few months."

Alright, then. Ziggy lost his Soulmate and his entire world at age seventeen. Shit. That's a lot to deal with, much less being in the cartel-

(And yes, Scott knows that Ziggy's a cartel member. It's not that hard to figure out, not when he works at a cartel-run club, when he has access to cigarettes and doesn't flinch when he hears gunshots or a fight breaks out on the streets outside of the club.

And Scott knows that before The End, that would have bothered him. Here and now, though, after the Apocalypse has happened, he knows that you do whatever you can to survive. He knows that some morals have to bend in order to make it in Corinth.

Not everyone can be a hero. Not everyone can be a Series Operator. And those who aren't, well, they just have to try their best.

And Scott believes that Ziggy is doing his best, whatever that might mean. He's putting effort into surviving.)

"What about you?" Ziggy asks, "How old are you?"

"Nineteen," Scott says with a small smirk. "Two years older than you."

Ziggy rolls his eyes. "As if that makes a difference in maturity."

In any normal world, it would. Those two years, spent either in the military or college, would spell a decent amount of lived life experiences that would spell a difference in their levels of maturity.

But here, after the end of the world, when everyone in this city has witnessed the end of everything, maturity settles in a different way.

Scott shrugs. "I guess you could argue that," he concedes, and Ziggy gives him a small, almost surprised smile, as if he hadn't expected Scott to agree with him.

What can Scott say? He guesses he understands Ziggy a little better than either of them had expected.

-

A month and a half in finds them making out against the back alley wall of the club, Scott’s hands under Ziggy’s shirt and Ziggy kissing his way up Scott’s neck. For the first few minutes, they have plenty of fun. Ziggy's a hot guy and Scott's had the past few weeks to really get to know and admire Ziggy's dancing under the flickering lights of the club. Out here, he's getting an even more up-close-and-personal view of Ziggy's body, complete with being able to feel his abs.

Then Scott’s hands slip under Ziggy’s waistband and Ziggy freezes. Scott instantly leans back, wary of Ziggy being uncomfortable.

“I’ve got something I should probably tell you before we go any further,” Ziggy says, and Scott raises an eyebrow.

“What is it?”

Ziggy grimaces. “I’m trans. F-to-M. No one in the cartel knows, because if they knew I was able to have kids, well...it _is_ the Apocalypse, after all, and there are only so many ways to have kids.”

Well, that’s killing the mood, just a little. Not the fact that Ziggy’s trans, not at all (Scott’s still wildly attracted to him and his dexterous fingers and his crooked grin), but the idea of what horrors the cartels would put him through if his secret got out.

“Thanks for trusting me with this,” Scott says, “I’ll keep your secret, I promise.”

Ziggy raises an eyebrow, a vulnerable expression sliding onto his face. “You don’t care?”

Scott shakes his head. He’s gay- he’s known that since he was fourteen- and all he sees when he looks at Ziggy is a guy. A _really hot_ guy. And Scott’s human. He’s weak for hot guys, especially ones who can make a mixed drink and make him forget the rest of the world and dance like the world hasn’t ended. “Not at all,” he says.

Then Ziggy pulls him into a long, hard kiss, and Scott is all too willing to make out with him for another half hour straight.

-

Later that night, Scott returns back to the Garage with a hickey on his neck and a wide grin on his lips. Flynn's already in his and Summer's room, probably asleep, while Summer's still up, sitting on the sofa and reading one of the reports on the new tech that Dr. K had delivered that morning.

Summer wolf-whistles when she sees him. “Someone got laid.”

“Not all of us can have the perfect Soulmate relationships,” Scott says without malice, and she shrugs.

"You've got a point," she admits, glancing back at the room she shares with Flynn. Then she looks back at him. "Well, good luck with the boy, whatever your intentions are."

Scott grins, and he almost feels like he, Summer, and Flynn are becoming more than just co-workers. They've been getting a bit closer over the past few months, but not everything has really settled into place yet. It's definitely starting too, though. Easy banter and teasing like this- well, it's almost like they're becoming friends. "And good luck with yours, not that you'll need it."

Summer grins right back at Scott. "Good point, there."

"I do have a few off-duty," he says, and Summer shrugs.

"You're really showing that," she says, not a hint of sarcasm in her voice, and something about the compliment buoys his chest, if just a little bit.

- 

Then comes the day that Ziggy comes into the club on a Friday night, not with his typical crooked smirk but rather with blood on his lips and a bruised nose and a massive black eye. It's clear he's got into some kind of fight with something or someone with massive power behind their blows.

“What the fuck happened to you?” are the first words out of Scott’s mouth, but his voice isn't unkind.

“Turns out being in the cartels can get you into some massive fights,” Ziggy says with some, but not all, of his usual humor.

Well, Scott cares for Ziggy, and more importantly, he never leaves anybody in this sort of state. So he swipes a few napkins from the counter, and pulls Ziggy back out the door.

“Do you want me to get you some actual help?” Scott asks, “Or do you want me to take care of this on my own?”

Ziggy looks at the napkins in Scott’s hands with a little bit of trepidation. “How much medical training do you have?” He asks.

Scott gives him a small smile. “As much as was needed to get me through basic training.”

“Which was how much?” Ziggy says, finally losing that smirk in favor of something a bit more questioning of Scott’s sanity.

“I know how to bandage a wound, how to apply an ice pack, and how to do CPR,” Scott says, “But any sort of detail work, well, it'd probably be better for my friend Flynn help you out. He got some decent training while he was an EMT.”

“You sure you can rely on your friend with my nose?” Ziggy asks, expression returning to something more amused. “After all, we don't want to damage perfection.”

Scott rolls his eyes as he takes Ziggy's hand in his free one. (You know, the one that _isn’t_ carrying the napkins.) “Yeah, I trust him to set your nose. Don't worry, he won't damage what goods you have.”

Ziggy winks with his good eye and then winces. “You love my goods.”

Scott snorts as he starts to lead Ziggy to the garage. “Yeah,” Scott says, “But I've never been relied on for my good taste.”

“You’re insulting both of us with that, you know, right?” Ziggy asks, and Scott shrugs.

"I guess I am," he says, "But that doesn't mean I don't know what I'm doing." 

-

Most of the time, Scott can ignore the whole cartel thing. Not tonight, though. Not when Ziggy's sitting on the hood of Scott's car as Flynn sets his nose, grumbling the whole way through. Ziggy's being remarkably calm through the whole thing, the only sign of the pain he's experiencing his fingers squeezing around Scott's, but then again- the cartel. A man who makes runs for the cartel, who works at their club- well, he'd be unlikely to be someone too squeamish.

"So," Flynn says after Ziggy leaves with a final squeeze to Scott's hand, this time more reassuring in intention rather than painful, and a quick _thanks_ to Flynn. "That's the boyfriend?"

Scott swallows. "Not the boyfriend," he says, "Not officially, yet."

Flynn is not one to smirk or be arrogant about something, but the knowing smile he gives Scott borders on something that Ziggy might use. "But you want him to be," Flynn says, voice confident.

"Well, yeah," Scott admits, "He's a really good kisser and dancer and there's just something about him..." He doesn't finish, his voice trailing off, but his point is made.

"Well, I don't need to know all the details," Flynn says, "Just as I'm pretty sure you don't want to know what Summer and I are getting up to in our free time, but whatever happens, I'm happy for you. Finding someone you're compatible with in a city like this one, someone that you want to spend time with, has got to be really hard. And you still managed it. Congratulations."

Scott's always respected Flynn and his selfless personality and ability in battle as well as his bag of skills off the field as well, but he doesn't think that he's fully appreciated Flynn's true depths as a person until now. "Thanks, man," he says, giving Flynn a pat on the back, and Flynn gives him a small smirk.

"Yeah, just don't expect me to become your boyfriend's nurse every time he gets into a fight," Flynn says with a small roll of the eyes, "He may be your type, but he looks like he's just itching for trouble to me."

Scott doesn't quite agree, but then he remembers the first night he'd met Ziggy and can't help but agree with Flynn's point. Ziggy's wild hair and movements, his dark eyes and fast mouth, as well as his current black eye and cartel status- well, there's no surprise as to why Flynn thinks he's trouble.

-  
  
The next time Scott sees Ziggy, the first words that tumble from Ziggy's lips are: "You wanna go on a date?"

Scott blinks. "Isn't  _this_ kind of a date?" he asks, gesturing to the club around them, and Ziggy shakes his head, though his smile softens a little. (His cheeks go red too, but Scott can't be sure if that's Ziggy blushing or the lights in the club.)

"Not really," Ziggy says, "I work here. I meant somewhere else. Somewhere more...romantic."

And yeah, Ziggy's  _definitely_ blushing- a nice change. Scott's not the nervous one now, not even close.

In fact, Scott leans in and presses a kiss to Ziggy's lips, but it's not a hard one like they usually are when they're making out in the back alley. No, this one is soft- a promise of something soft rather than a violent answer.

"Yeah," Scott says, leaning back just a little- just enough for their foreheads to be touching, but not their lips. "I definitely want to go on a date with you."

Ziggy grins as he leans forward to kiss Scott again, but his lips are spread too wide in a smile for him to properly kiss Scott. Scott can't be too upset- if there's got to be a reason why Ziggy can't kiss him, being too happy has got to be the best one. "Fantastic," Ziggy says. 

- 

Which means that of course that night is the first time his dad decided to make an appearance in the past month or so, showing up at the garage to make a routine check in with the Series Operators.

Or, at least, that's what Scott thinks his father is doing. Instead, he arrives the garage to find Summer and Flynn giving him apologetic looks.

"Your dad showed up about twenty minutes ago," Summer says, "Saying he wanted to check in with everybody."

"Nearly flipped out when he saw you weren't here," Flynn said.

Now, Scott knows his father. He knows that Colonel Truman is a man that does get angry, but not a man that shows it very often. He's not a man that shouts or screams, rather fixing the object of his anger with a disappointed glare as he uses the flat of his voice to drill in everything that's gone wrong in his eyes.

"He flipped out?" Scott asks, and Summer and Flynn's responses explain exactly what he was just thinking. That his Father didn't really flip out, but that he used the voice that means that he is fucking pissed.

In fact, Scott's father appears mere moments later. "What is this Dr. K tells me about you being at a club?" Colonel Truman demands, and Scott can feel his back instantly snapping to attention.

"I have a standing date there on Friday nights," Scott answers, meeting his father's gays.

"At a cartel run club?" Colonel Truman questions, his raised eyebrow clearly spelling his disbelief.

Scott nods. "With the bartender," he says, keeping his voice as confident as possible while realizing that his father will have absolutely no sympathy with his answer.

And Colonel Truman proves his son right: "Are you putting this health and well-being of this entire city behind your needs have a boyfriend?" Colonel Truman asks.

Scott thinks of Ziggy, thinks of his lips and his laughter and the way he looked at Scott was such trust in his eyes when Flynn had helped set his nose. He thinks of the way Ziggy dances, the ways that he can make Scott forget all of the horrible things that have happened. He thinks of the way that Ziggy keeps him sane.

"No," Scott says, "I always have my morpher on whenever I go to the club, and I always leave the exact instant it goes off. I'm instead taking care of my mental health by finding a place where I can feel safe and comfortable, if only once a week. Where I can let off steam and not have to worry about the fact that the world has ended."

Summer and Flynn are looking at him with pride in their eyes, and Scott feels buoyed by their support.

Colonel Truman glances between Scott and his teammates, his stern expression unflagging. Scott's father still clearly doesn't understand, but Scott has the feeling that he is still dwelling in Marcus' death, still wallowing in guilt. And trust Scott, he still feels guilty about what happened, but he doesn't hate himself for it anymore. 

"Just keep it from interfering with your duties," Colonel Truman eventually says, dismissing the issue, and Scott knows that that is as far as he's going to get.

So he nods. "Yes, sir," he answers, and his father just gives him a small, jerky nod and then leaves the Garage.

Scott deflates the moment his father is out of ear-shot. "Oh, thank god," Scott says, "That's about as good as I was going to get."

Flynn, the only one of them with an unconditionally supportive parent, raises an eyebrow. "Really? That's Colonel Truman's good side?"

"Some parents just aren't very accepting of their children's choices," Summer says, voice dark as if she's speaking from experience- which, from her file, Scott is pretty sure that she is. Then she looks at Scott, gaze going a little soft. "Hope it works out better for you."

Scott nods. "You, too."

(Because he doesn't know the exact specifics of her situation, but he gets strained parent-child relationships.)

- 

Their first date is to the pizza joint down the corner, the one founded by the couple who moved here from Ocean Bluff during the Apocalypse. RJ and Casey, Scott thinks their names are, if he was paying closer attention, he think that there is something a bit different about them. Something almost familiar, a strange fact considering that Scott had never been to Ocean Bluff in his life before the Apocalypse.

Ziggy and his second date, however, is to the Orphanage that Ziggy grew up in. They go visit Sister Clara, a stern yet loving woman who Scott can tell from one glance Ziggy utterly idolizes and loves. And it makes sense, after all. This is the woman who practically raised him, who gave all the parental affection he got until he ended up in the cartels.

As nice as their date to the pizza restaurant had been, Scott has to say that he prefers the second one a bit more. He gets to watch Ziggy play with the kids, gets to see Ziggy with most of his walls down, in a place that he feels comfortable. Scott hadn't realized just how heavy the weight on Ziggy shoulders was when they were constantly spending time in the cartel's club. Here in the orphanage, Ziggy gets to be himself, a bit softer, a bit gentler.

And Scott can't get enough of it.

- 

For a little while, a couple of months, this becomes their norm. A date once a week, and tonight at the club another night. They get in their dancing and their making out and their time together, share parts of each other that they hadn't let each other see just yet. Soon enough, Scott is referring to Ziggy as his boyfriend in casual conversation with a proud smile on his face, and he most certainly catches Ziggy doing the same thing one day when he returned from the bathroom to find Ziggy talking to his coworker Sean about their relationship.

- 

"Why'd you choose 'Ziggy?'" Scott asks one night while they're sitting on the hood of his car, staring at the stars. They were just making out, but for a few minutes they're watching the artificial sky.

"Well, Sister Clara always said that she wanted to name a child Siegfried," Ziggy says, "And I thought the name was too old-fashioned, but I idolized her. So Ziggy I became."

(Scott never asks about Ziggy’s dead name. He doesn't want or need to know it. That's Ziggy's past to keep, his body to decide to bury and never dig up.)

"Aw," Scott says, "That's actually kind of cute."

Ziggy glares at him. "That's incredibly fucking cute, you take that back."

Scott just smirks at his boyfriend. "Make me."

And, well, Ziggy is all too willing to take the cue, lean forward, and pull his boyfriend into a kiss. 

-

Later, when they're back to sitting peacefully on the blanket over the hood, Scott turns over just a little bit to run his fingers through Ziggy's hair. Ziggy's hair, a little too long to be considered short and a little too short to be considered long, is soft under his hands, almost comforting.

Ziggy makes a pleasurable noise low in his throat. "That feels really good," he says, and Scott grins.

"Really?" He asks, and Ziggy nods, pulling slightly at the hair sliding between Scott's fingers without dislodging Scott's hands.

"Feels almost like a massage," Ziggy says, a small crack to his voice. "I guess."

Scott raises an eyebrow. "You guess?" He asks, a bit confused.

Ziggy shrugs. "I've never really had a proper one before."

Ziggy's an orphan, Scott knows, which means that no one's ever really taken care of him before, not at least since he was a tiny kid. He's had to fend for himself in the world, and when survival has always been his priority, personal comfort probably took a bit of a back end.

"Alright, then," Scott says, "I'll give you a scalp massage, show you how it's done."

"I can give you one afterwards," Ziggy says, turning to look at Scott with that usual (severely unsupported, in most scenarios) confidence in his eyes, and Scott snorts.

"My hair doesn't really do that," Scott says with a fond grin. "The coils are too tight. But I can show you how to do a shoulder massage."

"That can  _definitely_ be arranged," Ziggy says with a wink.

-

Then, when Scott has finally started feeling like the world has not ended, but rather just giving him a new opportunity to begin, everything goes to complete and utter shit.

-

One Wednesday morning, Scott wakes up and finds the name  _AJ Peterson_ on his arm.

Well, holy shit. Ziggy's his-

Scott grabs for a pen and writes, scribbling,  _Ziggy, I'm your Soulmate! Can we meet at the club tonight?_

(He's never had a Soulmate before, so he's not exactly sure how to write naturally to Ziggy, but fuck, he can definitely try.)

"No fucking way," Flynn says from the cutting board when Scott gets to the kitchen table, short sleeves leaving his arms bare.

Scott nods, unable to keep from grinning ear-to-ear. "Ziggy's my Soulmate."

"Holy shit!" Summer shouts, getting up from the stool facing her Soulmate's smoothie ingredients. She walks forward and pulls Scott into a huge hug. "Congrats."

"I'm going to head over to the club after training today," Scott says, "Meet up with him."

"Go get your bloke, Truman," Flynn says with a wide, encouraging smile.

At first, there's nothing but sheer joy at the fact that his boyfriend is actually his Soulmate. Scott's been Soulless his whole life, and though he's always known he's romantically and sexually inclined, he thought that the universe hadn't found him his perfect other half. He'd been fine with that for ages, realizing that he would just have to go find a similiarly Soulless person to date and fall in love with (basically doing the work that universe hasn't already done), but after meeting, kissing, dating, and kind of falling in love with Ziggy, he has to admit that he'd  _hoped_. He knows that there are people in their city who have had new Marks develop after losing their initial Soulmates, a phenomenon that had been rare in the world before the End but that  _had_ existed, and, well...

Scott can't keep the smile off of his face throughout training as he waits for a response from Ziggy, despite the scoldings from Dr. K. His boyfriend is his Soulmate. There's nothing that can possibly bring him down right now.

Then Scott feels his arm tingle at lunch and he looks down to find words scrawled over his skin that make his heart plummet:  _I'm so sorry, Scott, but I've got to leave._

Wait, what? Leave where? Go where?

 _Ziggy, what the fuck is going on?_ Scott writes, but there's no response.

Not today.

(Maybe not ever.)

-

The news trickles in over the next few days, some more trustworthy than others.

The story snarled out by Fresno Bob: Ziggy was delivering something for the cartels and he took it for himself, then disappeared into the night. He's now on the cartels' hit list for stealing over five million dollars worth in loot.

(Now, Ziggy's a bit impulsive, prone to making sometimes stupid decisions, but nothing about him ever struck Scott as particularly greedy. Ziggy has a pretty large trend toward self-preservation, after all, and stealing from the cartels that basically run the city alongside the army would be a  _very_ bad idea.)

The news delivered by Sean, an older co-worker of Ziggy's, fills in the last gaps of the story (and paints the most accurate picture): Ziggy stole medicine for the kids at the orphanage- medicine worth over five million dollars in the last city on earth- and he knew how the cartels would react.

And so, Scott's stupidly brave, bravely stupid boyfriend and Soulmate, ran from the city. He escaped under the wall through a one-way tunnel into the Wastes, where the cartels couldn't take out a hit on him.

Well, fuck. Scott, Summer, and Flynn can survive against attack bots, but only because of their Series Operator armor. Only because of their training.

Ziggy, with nothing more than the clothes on his back, without armor, without a way of sustaining himself, is trapped on the outside of the dome.

Scott isn't one to cry. He isn't one to sob or weep. 

But his breath catches in his throat when he listens to Sean's story. A lump forms in his throat and he has to blink rather fast to ignore the liquid welling up in the corners of his eyes.

"Scott," Summer says softly, placing a hand on top of his wrist, and he slowly blinks his way back to himself. "It's okay."

"I know it is," he says, and he has no idea if he's reassuring her or himself. Ziggy has to live. He has to survive, right? Right?

_Right?_

- 

Scott writes for months without response, making small notes about his days, anything to give Ziggy hope in surviving out there. Ziggy doesn't have access to a pen, that's obvious, so he can't respond to Scott's notes. But Scott  _can_ give Ziggy something in the meantime.

Scott has always been determined to protect the city, but now it's also a determination to find Venjix's base and destroy it as thoroughly as possible. Because the only way Scott's going to make sure that he saves Ziggy is by taking down Venjix.

He has no option but to take down the greatest threat the world has ever seen. That definitely would have been too daunting before the End, but now, in the new world they live in, it seems as if something that might actually be attainable, with the help of Dr. K and a filled-out Ranger team. Other Rangers teams have accomplished the impossible before in preventing massive alien and magical invasions- should it really make that much of a difference that his team is launching a revolution against the seated conqueror instead of preventing an invasion?

Well, there can only be one answer, regardless of the possibilities. There is only one answer that will save the city and the boy Scott loves. There is only one answer that will give him the ending he wants- no, the ending he  _needs_ , after the devastation he has witnessed and felt. After the end of the world, after his brother's death, after billions of deaths- well, he has to believe in the one answer.

Scott has to have hope. There's just no other way.

-

But that hope starts to slip away as the weeks pass by without response. It starts to flicker as the attack-bots keep coming, a constant though low-quantity stream, and Scott, Flynn, Summer, and Dr. K find no weakness in Venjix's army.

Scott's a hopeful realist- he believes in the best of a situation, but never beyond what could realistically happen. And he knows that the logical chances of Ziggy being alive dwindle quite a lot day by day, even they even exist anymore.

(Scott also knows that Ziggy would never lose a day of updating his late Soulmate's Marks, wouldn't give up the opportunity to finally write to Scott. Ziggy's ink has faded from Scott's skin, smudging away until Scott honestly can't tell if the last remnants are dark ink or just dark blemishes on Scott's own skin.)

By their six month anniversary, eleven months since the world ended, Scott knows that there's no way Ziggy has survived three months outside of the walls. He knows about that if Venjix's army has become this strong inside of the city, it must be absolutely crushing outside. Even the most determined of survivors couldn't continue out there for so long, not without armor or protection of some sort.

Ziggy's not responding because of a lack of a pen- he's not responding because he's dead.

Scott's going to keep fighting to defeat Venjix, he knows. But it will be for Ziggy's memory rather than his future. 

Scott lays pen to skin and writes  _Ziggy Grover_ with a shattered heart.

* * *

**ONE MONTH LATER**

Scott doesn't know what to do with the fact that a car has just rushed through the gates, complete with two human life signatures. He's a bit more focused on the current attack bots that he, Summer, and Flynn are fighting instead of whoever those two humans are.

However, the moment that the attack bots are defeated, he gets a very rude, or welcome (depending how you look at things), awakening.

He, Summer, and Flynn are huddled up a bit, discussing how to relate what just happened to Dr. K, when an all-too-familiar voice shouts, "Scott!"

Scott whips around to find a living ghost climbing out of the passenger seat of the car that just came in.

Before Scott, in all of his lanky, grimy, exhausted glory, is Ziggy. Ziggy, Scott's Soulmate, who went into the wastes and should by any sort of stretch of the imagination be dead. But here he is, defying the impossible, somehow fucking alive.

"Oh my God," Flynn gasps behind him, "That's Ziggy."

"Wait a minute," Summer says, "I thought he was dead?" 

"So did I," Scott mutters as he demorphs.

Ziggy takes a few steps toward him, and with every movement it's easy to see just how much the Wastes took out of him. Ziggy, always a bit lanky, now looks incredibly skinny, his thin face made practically narrow by the lack of nourishment he must have experienced out in the Wastes. A suit, which Scott has to guess hasn't been washed in four months, hangs off of his frame, thoroughly dirty and quite a bit tattered as well. His hair is quite a bit longer and somehow even wilder-looking than it ever has been before. (Scott wonders if it would be as soft as before or if it would be encrusted with dirt.)

But Ziggy's smile. Dear God, his _smile_. It's that same crooked grin that Scott was so attracted to back when he first met him, the same grin he's kissed a thousand times, the same grin he's dreamed about for the past few months.

(The same grin he fell in love with.)

"Now," Ziggy says, "I'm a few days late to our last date, but I'm sure that can be forgiven?"

And Scott takes off running at him. He gets to his Soulmate's side and pulls him into a giant hug, careful not to jostle his clearly malnourished bones too much, but also unafraid of showing just how much he utterly missed Ziggy. Ziggy throws his arms up around Scott's shoulders as well, pulling Scott in just as tightly, if not more, than Scott is currently holding Ziggy.

"The Wastes are a total bitch," Ziggy says, "Just to let you know."

And Scott can't help but laugh at his stupid, beautiful, wonderful, idiotic, hilarious, fantastic Soulmate. "Oh," Scott says, "I didn't need you to tell me that. Even an idiot would be able to know that the Wastes are horrible."

"Well," Ziggy says, "Thought I'd just try it out for you. Just to make sure."

And they've both been through so much pain over the past few months, but right now Scott can't bring himself to dwell on the past.

"You've got no need to do that again," Scott says, and Ziggy nods, his hair rubbing against Scott's cheek.

(And, to answer his question, Ziggy's hair is encrusted in sand, but it is still somehow pretty soft and smooth against Scott's face.)

"Scott, you arse, mind introducing- or, well, reintroducing- the bloke to the rest of us?" Flynn asks, and Ziggy laughs, pulling back just a little from Scott. He holds onto Scott's forearm with one hand, familiar (though currently sand-encrusted) fingers gripping the leather of Scott's jacket.

(Scott understands why Ziggy's hesitant to let go- four months alone in the Wastes is guaranteed to that to a man. He has to wonder just what kind of emotional damage the Wastes did to Ziggy, in addition to the clear physical damage.)

"Well, you've met Ziggy before, Flynn," Scott says, "And Summer, well, this is Ziggy, my Soulmate."

"Nice to meet you," Summer says with a small wave and a proud smile. "We've heard a lot about you over the past year."

"A  _lot_ ," Flynn emphasizes, and in any other circumstances Scott  _might_ be embarrassed, but not today. Not when Ziggy's alive.

"So, this is the boy you were talking about?" asks the hulking man driving the car Ziggy arrived in, and Ziggy turns to grin at him.

"Yep," he says, "This is Scott."

"And who is this?" Scott asks, ready to thank whoever the fuck this man is for making sure that Ziggy's back here in Corinth. He doesn't know how long this guy has been with Ziggy, how long they've known each other, but he knows that the only reason Ziggy got back past the dome was because of that car.

"Dillon," the man says, not reaching out a hand to shake. Well, alright then.

"Just Dillon?" Summer asks, raising an eyebrow, and Dillon nods.

"It's a long story," he says.

"They all are in this city," Flynn says with a snort, and isn't that the truth. This is the last city on earth, full of all endings and a whole lot of torn pages and flipped chapters. Full of graveyards and ghosts and names on wrists, carefully renewed as a tribute to dead Soulmates.

And, of course, new beginnings. New Soulmates. New families and friends and teams, all formed out of the wreckage of an old, dead world.

Scott's hope is back, now, full-force, despite the recent upticks in the number of attack-bots hitting the city. He has proof, in front of him, of how someone can survive the Wastes and Venjix's armies.

"Should we take them to the Garage?" Summer suggests, "Get to know them a bit better? Find out what happened out in the Wastes?"

Scott, distracted by his Soulmate, snaps back into leader mode. "Right," he says, and slips his hand down into Ziggy's. He's not letting go, not this time, not for a little while at least. "Let's show you guys around and figure out a way to get you two semi-normal lives even with the cartel poking about."

Ziggy winces. "You know about, don't you guys?"

"The hit on your name?" Flynn asks, "Aye, we do. And we don't care."

Summer nods. "We know why you did it, Ziggy, and it was justified. We're not going to let you die for doing the right thing."

If Scott wasn't already grinning, he would definitely be now. Yeah, Scott has a pretty great team in Summer and Flynn.

And as he looks at Ziggy's friend, pretending not to care but clearly having already formed some sort of attachment to Ziggy, he thinks that he might have found another member of the team. Well, maybe. After they do the tests first, of course. But still...maybe.

"Let's go, then," Ziggy says, tugging on Scott's hand a bit, "I'm starving. You guys have food at the Garage?" He says it so nonchalantly, as if he hasn't been severely malnurished for months now.

"Do we ever," Flynn says with a grin, "Plenty of ingredients to do all the best with. Anything you want, we can make it-"

"If it's a smoothie," Scott says, teasing his friend even as they start heading off to the Garage.

"Don't forget the car," Ziggy whispers before they get too far, "Dillon's got a severe attachment to it. Almost as bad as you with your car."

Scott snorts and glances back at Dillon, who's still looking at his car. "We'll get the car to the Garage after lunch," he says, and Dillon raises an eyebrow.

"Why should I trust you?"

"Because I said so," Ziggy says with a confident wink, "And you trust me."

Dillon snorts. "That's idiotic," he says, but he  _does_ tuck his keys into his pocket and follow them, so that shows how he really feels.

Well, if this is the motley crew Scott has assembled- Second-In-Command Summer in Yellow, Mechanic/Medic/Cop/Hero Flynn in Blue, Gloomy Dillon in probably-Black, and Soulmate Ziggy in, well, yet to be determined- he thinks he's pretty in luck for whatever comes.

 

_How do you survive? You just do._

_There is no other choice, no other viable options._

_You throw yourself into it, head first and make a mess along the way._

_Gain a few too many scars, break some things, mend others._

_Eventually, you find yourself with a couple of friends and a few precious tools._

_You just have to._

_You will._

**-Michelle K.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And then Dillon becomes the Black Ranger, and eventually Ziggy becomes the Green Ranger, but that's all a story for another day. (Also one that you know pretty well. Just imagine the normal season, just with a lot of Scott and Ziggy going on dates and making out and such sprinkled in, and the plot about Ziggy's Morpher being taken away going bye-bye because there's no blaming him for stealing the truck because they already know what happened. Tons of fun.
> 
> Also, just *imagine* Scott introducing Ziggy to his father for the first time, explaining about Soulmates and Ziggy's time in the Wastes and the fact that Ziggy's the Green Ranger but also all the cartel shit. Just IMAGINE it. Fucking priceless.)
> 
> (Also, headcanon for this story is that Gemma & Tenaya are Soulmates and Dillon & Gem are Soulmates, but that Dr. K ends up in a relationship with one of the two pairs. But you guys can decide who is Soulmates/in a relationship with who.)
> 
>  
> 
> Also missing scene from Dillon's POV that couldn't find its way into the main story because Scott's the narrator:
> 
>  
> 
> ("Listen, man," Ziggy says, "You've gotta take me with you to Corinth."
> 
> Dillon raises an eyebrow. "Why should I?"
> 
> Ziggy pulls up his sleeve to reveal his...own name on his arm, next to some smudged, very old ink. "There's someone I've got to see in Corinth," he says, eyes hard, "A boy who thinks I'm dead. And you're going to take me there to show him I'm not." Then he smirks at Dillon, something lighting up in his eyes. "And besides, I can get you there." He tosses an ID at Dillon. "Ziggy Grover, citizen of Corinth."
> 
> Dillon snorts as he tosses the ID back, having finally made up his mind. "Ziggy?"
> 
> "It's the name I chose," Ziggy says as he tucks the ID into his pocket.
> 
> "Get in the car," Dillon says, and Ziggy grins, a bit of the iron melting from his eyes.
> 
> "Perfect," he says.)


	2. we never let go (making up for time gone by)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title is from "Holding Out For You" by Lizzy Land ft. Schier.
> 
> Does anyone care about this ship/’verse except me? Probably not.
> 
> Do I care? Am I going to stop? Nope, still gonna write it.
> 
> Also, Dr. K revealed who she really was to the team a bit earlier in this version of events, alright? Cool.

_Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own._

**― Robert A. Heinlein,  _Stranger in a Strange Land_**

 

When Ziggy finishes the twentieth failed candidate for the Green Ranger, he can practically taste bitter failure on his tongue. He wants to prove to the team that he can be useful, that he isn't just there as Scott's hanger-on.

After all, they all know that he can't go back to his old job at the bar. With a hit out on him, the cartel is very unlikely to hire him back on without first shooting him in the face. This job at the Garage is all he has to keep from feeling useless, and up until this moment his job has mostly consisted of becoming the team’s cook and part-time janitor.

(Sure, he gets to do other stuff, too, like play pool, mix drinks, hang out with the team, and make out with Scott, but that’s the fun stuff. The more “practical” stuff he’s been woefully missing out on, other than maybe making the team breakfast in the mornings before training. But, then again, making breakfast _does_ usually lead to a kiss from Scott, so maybe that’s not the most _selfless_ action in the world-

Right. Focus.)

When he meets Tenaya (well, is saved by Tenaya, who gets him away from Fresno Bob and his goons, who were trying to kill him for that operation he accomplished), he can't help but feels sense of sweet relief. This is a candidate that will help Scott and the Rangers save the city they love.

“Now did I tell you, or did I tell you?” Ziggy asks as Tenaya runs on the treadmill, easily passing every single physical test the Rangers and Dr. K have set up.

“Tenaya Sevenson, former news-helicopter pilot,” Scott says, reading off of the forms, then looks up in pride at his Soulmate. “Ziggy, fantastic. Where did you find her?”

“What can I say?” Ziggy asks with a smirk, but all he really feels is relief. Scott has the team member he needs, someone who can fight with him, and that’s all. “Ziggy promises, Ziggy delivers. This is what I do.”

“Well, she’s perfect, Ziggy,” Summer says with a grateful smile, “Too perfect.”

Scott gives Ziggy one last smile before turning to Tenaya. “Congratulations, Tenaya,” Scott says to Tenaya with a smile, “Welcome to the team, Series Operator Green.”

“The sooner series green is activated and is in phase one training, the better,” Dr. K says through their Morphers.

“Great. Well, we can do the DNA bonding right here,” Scott says, then he looks to Ziggy.

“I’ll grab the Green Morpher and be back in a flash,” Ziggy says, eager to be of help. He turns and starts to head off, but Scott catches his arm, placing a kiss on his cheek before he goes.

“Great work, Zig,” Scott says with a smile, and Ziggy leans in to give Scott a quick kiss in return before running off back to the base.

-

Ziggy returns to the auditorium an hour later, Dr. K’s words ringing in his ears. _Guard that Morpher with your life,_ she’d said, and Ziggy had been planning to anyway, but it’s still rather heavy to hear. He just hopes that he can get the Morpher- and the responsibility- to Tenaya, who is certainly better equipped than Ziggy is to defend the Morpher and the Series base code.

Then he arrives, and Tenaya turns out to be an attack bot whose one and only goal is to steal the green Morpher. Suddenly Ziggy’s on a mission to not just save his own life, but also to protect the Green Morpher from the Tenaya-7 attack bot.

Ziggy has to figure out how to keep the Morpher safe. If Tenaya gets it, Scott dies. Their city dies.

-

When Scott sees the guards collapsed and groaning on the floor where Ziggy was supposed to deliver the Morpher to Tenaya, dread shoots down his spine.

“What happened here?” Scott asks, and the guard says something about Tenaya turning out to be Venjix and Ziggy running off with the Morpher.

Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. There’s no way to be safe in this city, and Ziggy’s been in a cartel so he’s certainly familiar with danger, but Scott feels a kind of fear he hasn't experienced since Ziggy went out into the Wastes when he imagines Ziggy facing off against Tenaya, whose off-the-charts readings are now making so much more sense as well as terrifying the shit out of him.

“We’ve gotta get to Dr. K,” Summer says, “Find out where the Green Morpher is.”

“We’ll find Ziggy,” Flynn says, brushing a hand across Scott’s shoulder in reassurance as they turn and run back to their vehicles. “He’s going to be fine.”

“He better fucking be,” Scott says, “He’s already died once- I’m not grieving him again.”

And Scott _does_ believe in Ziggy, despite the fear coursing through his veins. Ziggy still hasn't told Scott what he did to survive the Wastes, but the point remains that he _did_ survive. Ziggy's good at running. It's all he did for four months to escape the attack bots and survive the Wastes. Ziggy’s good at the impossible. Ziggy’s gonna make it out. He’s going to live, pull off another miracle, and Scott’s gonna get to kiss him again-

But then another alarm blares as soon as they enter the Garage. Summer pulls up the schematics of the seismic disturbances and the location of the newest attack bot, and Scott has to refocus his attention away from Ziggy and the Green Morpher to the attack bot that he, Summer, and Flynn are going to have to take care of.

Well, at least Dillon is on his way to help Ziggy, as Dr. K had informed them before they’d even gotten back to the base. Scott can take at least a small amount of comfort in that.

-

Ziggy managed to keep Tenaya away from the Morpher by ducking through the scorpion cartel’s base at the baseball field- thus at least making Tenaya the only person higher on the scorpion cartel’s hit list than him- but now he’s stuck down in the parking lot with her gaining on him and nowhere to run.

Dillon shows up, thus giving him a bit of relief for just a little while, but then Tenaya attacks _again_ and suddenly it’s Dillon fighting Tenaya, Venjix machine against Venjix human. Tenaya actually manages to get the upper hand on Dillon- somehow. Then Ziggy’s locked in hand-to-hand combat with Tenaya and it’s clear he’s going to lose- there’s just no doubt about it. Ziggy knows his own strengths and weaknesses and fighting isn’t one of them. He isn’t Scott or Flynn or Summer or Dillon. He doesn’t have training or natural strength. All he has is a good hand for cooking or making drinks, a pair of fast legs, and his wits-

The Morpher’s in his hand and Ziggy’s brain focuses on it, on the information he knows about it. Scott’s told Ziggy plenty about the Series Operator selection process over the past year, especially in the last month. A candidate needs to go through the selection process for Dr. K to approve them, but the actual Morpher itself doesn’t need training to graft onto someone’s DNA. All it needs is a cursory DNA and physical check. As long as Ziggy’s even remotely human and a decent height and weight, he can fit. (And he’s pretty sure that even his months in the Wastes made him underweight aren’t enough for him to get disqualified.) The Morphers accepted Dillon, who’s part Venjix, for god’s sake. As great as Dillon actually is, the machinery couldn’t have known that. The Morphers can’t be that discerning.

Which means that this Morpher _could_ bond to whoever has it. That’s why Tenaya wants it- she doesn’t technically _need_ Dr. K to sign off. All she needs is the Morpher clicked onto her wrist.

So as he’s fighting with Tenaya, Ziggy makes a split-second decision. He slips the Morpher on, slides it back, and-

_By god, please let Scott forgive me for this._

Ziggy Morphs, green saturating his field of vision for a full couple of seconds before he can blink it away. He finds his body encased in armor, a visor across his eyes, and he can suddenly feel the warmth of his own breath reflected back against him.

He’s a Power Ranger. A Series Operator. The Green Series Operator, to be exact. The one that Scott has held out such hope for.

Ziggy hopes he won’t be too much of a disappointment as he fights Tenaya, who is growling about him getting the Morpher before her. He doesn't know if he's good enough, but he does know that he wants to help Scott, to save the city they both love and grew up in. He wants to help as much as he can.

He’s not brave, he knows that. He’s not the kind of hero that Scott and the other Rangers are. Deciding to slide on that Morpher for the first time was not based on his bravery and selflessness and physical ability, but just as a desperate ploy to keep the Morpher away from Venjix.

All Ziggy has on his side is a decent amount of speed, a skill with mixing drinks, a certain way with words, and strange mix of self-preservation and a lack thereof. A desire to help others as well as a certain amount of cowardice.

Dillon reaches Ziggy’s side and together they manage to send Tenaya flying, even cracking her visor in the process. It’s kind of astounding, really, the amount of power Ziggy’s blows have now that he has the full force of the Power and this armor with him.

Then Dillon picks up an alarm about the gopher bot that Tenaya is taunting them about, and he grabs Ziggy so that they can take off to fight the bot, which Ziggy’s never done before. He can’t deny the spike of anxiety that shoots through his chest at the idea of his first battle. He’s not a fighter, after all. He lost fights against minor cartel members, much less Venjix attack bots like Tenaya.

But then he feels the Morpher under the armor around his wrist, and he remembers what he now has on his side that he didn’t before. Ziggy’s a Ranger, now. He has armor, even if he’s not entirely sure how to use it. He can help Scott, Dillon, and the team defeat the attack bot.

Well, once more into the breach, as they say, right?

-

Once the battle fighting the gopher bot is over, Scott DeMorphs, then marches over to Dillon and the yet-unnamed Green Ranger. “Tell me Ziggy’s okay,” he demands, “That you stopped Tenaya from getting to him, because I _swear to god_ -”

Scott’s voice slams to a halt as the Green Ranger DeMorphs. Standing there in all of his wild glory, a crooked grin on his face, is Ziggy Grover, Scott’s Soulmate and- “You have got to be the stupidest, bravest person in the world,” Scott says with a brilliant, fond grin.

“You forgot handsomest,” Ziggy says with a wink, and Scott doesn’t know whether to elbow Ziggy for scaring him or to kiss his frustrating face.

“Good job on your first fight, Ziggy,” Flynn says as he DeMorphs, “Definitely got less bruises than last time.”

Ziggy shrugs as Scott remembers the fight Flynn is referring to, months and months ago, the one he’d taken to Flynn afterwards to help fix up his nose. It’s still a bit crooked, even today, but it doesn’t diminish how much Scott wants to kiss Ziggy, not at all. “The armor definitely helped. And the ax. Can’t forget that.”

“Dr. K’s not going to be happy about this,” Summer says, but she doesn’t sound like she much cares, instead fixing Scott with an approving smile.

“Well, she’s going to have to be,” Scott says firmly, and Ziggy nods.

“The Morpher’s bonded to my DNA, right?” Ziggy asks, and Scott nods.

“And besides, Ziggy defended the Morpher from Tenaya,” Dillon says, “Shouldn’t that be enough to earn his approval from the good doc?”

“I’d assume so,” Summer says, “But Dr. K’s never been the best person to understand people who circumvent the established protocol, so I wouldn’t count on it.”

Ziggy winces at the reminder of the tongue-lashing he could be in for when they get back, and Scott takes the opportunity to stick out his hand. “Well,” Scott says, prouder than he’s ever been to say the words, “Welcome to the team, Series Operator Green.”

“I’m going to do my best, I promise,” Ziggy says, earnest in a way that he rarely lets the world see, preferring to obscure it with posturing and overconfidence, and Scott doesn’t count on such an attitude lasting around the team but he does appreciate it for this initial impression as Ranger Green.

“All we can ask, Ziggy,” Dillon says, supportive in a way that he, also, rarely is, and Scott is glad that Ziggy has someone on the team who (other than Scott) unconditionally supports him, no matter how gruff Dillon pretends to be.

-

When they get back to the Garage, there are the expected words of disapproval from Dr. K, but the whole team supports Ziggy joining- Scott and Dillon unconditionally, and Flynn and Summer just ask that Ziggy agrees to training, which he does readily and quickly.

After the conversation with Doctor K is over, Flynn says with a smile that only speaks to trouble: “Guess we should get you some green to wear, now, aye? You’ve got your new leather jacket due to the whole Green Ranger thing, but you’re gonna need some shirts that aren’t your Soulmate’s in order to really function as a Ranger.”

Ziggy looks down at his clothing. Aside from his old jacket and some pants, delivered to them by Sean when Ziggy got back, he’s mostly just been wearing Scott’s red shirts and a pair of Flynn’s old sneakers. There hasn’t really been a need for Ziggy to go anywhere, to even go shopping, not with the cartel out and about and ready to strike.

Ziggy hasn’t been able to go anywhere that hasn’t been locked down for Ranger use days beforehand- like the auditorium where the Green Ranger candidates were “auditioned”- due to the cartel hit on his name, and there hasn’t been much use for the government to lock down and background check everyone at a clothing store just because the Rangers’ assistant needed new clothes. Thus, the current situation, which Ziggy hasn’t complained about. After all, being stuck in the Wastes for four months has basically led to him boiling down any clothing choices to: are they clean? Do they fit? Are they warm and hopefully comfortable and preferably not covered in an inch of ingrained sand?

(Ziggy may have burned the suit that he was stuck in out in the Wastes for four months. Might have. He can’t exactly bear to have that fabric touch his skin ever again, no matter how many times they wash the suit, not when the memories of sand and grime and desperation are so close to the surface of his mind.)

But now that Ziggy can defend himself from the cartels, that he has the Power in his veins, going shopping doesn’t seem like such a dangerous idea.

And- as Summer explains- Rangers tend to wear the color they represent as it physically lends an extra layer or psychological connection to their powers. The pre-existing color in their outfit makes it easier for the armor and the Power to slide onto your flesh, to grow onto you like a second skin.

“You should probably get Summer to help, too,” Flynn says with a smile toward his Soulmate. “She’s got an eye for that sort of thing.”

Ziggy actually isn’t _too_ intimidated with the idea of shopping with Summer, who he has learned is a rather practical, straightforward, and logical sort of person. She isn’t likely to make a shopping trip into an ordeal just for her own sense of amusement, like even Scott might have.

“Alright,” he says to Summer, “This weekend, whenever we get a free day?”

She smiles at him. “Sounds good to me, Ziggy. In the meantime, though-”

“Training,” Ziggy agress, “I know.”

-

That night leads to Ziggy and Scott collapsing back into their bed, exhausted after a day of both of them in battle.

“Seriously, congrats on being a member of the team,” Scott says to Ziggy, curling a couple of fingers through the hair brushing the base of Ziggy’s neck. “You’re gonna do great, I know it.” And he’s not exaggerating, truly. Thought Ziggy’s gonna need plenty of training, he’s got a good base of skills to start with. He’s clever, far more clever than anyone gives him credit for (seriously, listening to the story that Ziggy told about how he kept the Morpher away from Tenaya by using the cartels had been both terrifying and a bit awe-inspiring). He’s fast and lean. He’s certainly a survivor, using the cartel to survive his adolescence and teenage years, not letting his Soulmate’s death break him, and somehow making it out of the Wastes after four months of being trapped on the outside. He may be overconfident at times and a bit awkward and have a tendency to go on tangents, but he’s a good guy, with a good heart and plenty of hidden talents.

“Are you sure I’m going to make a good Ranger?” Ziggy says. “I’m not a hero. I’m not a soldier. I’m just-”

Scott cuts off Ziggy’s words with his own lips, gentle and soft. “You’re not _just_ anything,” Scott says, eyes steely. “And I do say that objectively.”

Ziggy laughs and kisses Scott right back. “You can’t be objective about anything involving me,” he says, and Scott frowns.

“I can be objective about anything involving my job,” Scott protests, and Ziggy gives him a soft smile.

“I know you can,” he says, “You’re the best Ranger that has ever been.” And though Scott would protest at the exaggeration as there have been _plenty_ of better Rangers than him in past, Ziggy’s tone is entirely sincere.

“Glad to know I have your support,” Scott says, and Ziggy gives him a proud smile.

“I couldn’t imagine a better Red Ranger for Corinth,” he says, and warmth buoys Scott’s chest at his Soulmate’s pride.

Then Ziggy leans in and gives Scott a soft kiss, and for a moment they slip into silence until they part. Ziggy’s expression has shifted into something a bit more thoughtful in the meantime. “I wish we could go dancing,” Ziggy says quietly, “I miss dancing.” He lays a hand on Scott’s hip, currently covered in his flannel pj pants, pulling them just a bit closer together. “I miss being able to dance with _you_ , the two of us together on the dance floor.”

Scott’s eyes gleam. “We could still do that now.”

Ziggy snorts, something dark in his voice as he says: “In case you weren’t aware, darling, there’s a hit out on my head. Going shopping with Summer in a civilian area is one thing- going right back into a cartel-run bar mostly frequented by cartel members is quite another.”

“Trust me,” Scott says, leaning in to press another kiss to Ziggy’s lips. “I’ve got an idea.”

“Dear lord,” Ziggy teases, eyes lightening a bit. “Warn me where to watch for the explosions.”

“Your last idea led to you becoming the Green Ranger, so you’re one to talk.”

Ziggy smirks as his gaze slides to Scott’s lips, which he supposes are quickly becoming distracting. Scott smiles, rather satisfied by the way that his lips are so attractive to his Soulmate. He decides to make the distraction even worse by leaning in and pulling Ziggy into a long, hard kiss that ends with a dark gleam in Ziggy’s eyes when they part.

Well, they don’t part for long- the rest of the conversation devolves into making out from thereon out, putting all of their teasing to a halt for a little while.

-

A week later, after a couple more pretty easily repelled grinder attacks that Ziggy does a good job of fighting (and Dr. K revealing her real body and form, which was quite the trip), Ziggy and Summer head off to the store to buy new clothes for Ziggy. They don’t encounter any cartel members while out, but Ziggy can’t breathe entirely properly until they have two bags of green shirts (some t-shirts, some button-downs) and a few pairs of pants between them. (They’d also bought him a new binder to replace the old one that got lost somewhere along the way, but that’s currently on Ziggy’s chest rather than in the bags.)

“Listen, Ziggy,” Summer says as they set the bags into the trunk of her motorcycle and they both climb on, her starting to drive them off. “I wanted to talk to you about Scott.”

Ziggy’s attention immediately diverts from thoughts of the cartels and toward his Soulmate and boyfriend. “What about him?” he asks.

“Nothing bad, I promise,” she reassures him with a small laugh as she drives. “I know you two really care for each other, clearly displayed by how you acted when you finally reunited and how you’ve interacted over the past month. _Also_ by how much Scott pined after you while you were out in the Wastes, but that’s neither here nor now.” A small flush creeps into Ziggy’s cheeks at the thought of how much Scott had thought about him in the months he was trying to survive outside Corinth. “I just wanted to talk to you about how you interact on the battlefield. Soulmates tend to fight well- insanely well- together, but only after they get over their natural instinct to protect each other. Flynn and I have learned over the past year how to focus on the battle rather than each other, but you’re not used to fighting alongside Scott at all. I just want to make sure that you’re not going to get overprotective of Scott in battle and instead to do your best to be the best Ranger _you_ can be by fighting for yourself instead of focusing on him.”

Well, that isn’t exactly where Ziggy thought that conversation would be going. He thought that Summer would probably threaten Ziggy about not breaking Scott’s heart or something like that. But, then again, Summer is an infinitely practical person and Scott’s second-in-command, and she probably puts a lot of thought into the battlefield and how best to defend Corinth.

“I’m certainly going to try,” Ziggy says, because he _does_ know, logically, that Scott will be better off if Ziggy spends fights not focusing on Scott but on fighting attack bots and defending Corinth. That way, Scott won’t have to worry about Ziggy himself falling in battle because he isn’t keeping himself protected.

“That’s all I can ask for,” Summer says, and she’s sitting in front of him, driving the motorcycle, so he can’t see her face, but he thinks she’s smiling.

“So no shovel talk?” Ziggy asks her, and she just laughs.

“Trust me, meeting Colonel Truman will be intimidating enough on its own,” she says. “I in no way need to add to that pressure.”

Ziggy swallows. He knows that Scott loves his father, but that their relationship has been pretty rocky since his brother’s death. He knows that Colonel Truman is a no-nonsense man who takes no shit from anyone and who has been known to be rather cool towards his only remaining son since the Apocalypse began.

Ziggy’s never had to meet anybody’s parents before. He’s never had any long-term boyfriends who he cared that much about and who cared that much about him in return. Ziggy’s a former cartel member, and an orphan, and trans, any details of which people tend to take issue with, for any variety of valid and invalid reasons. Making a good impression on Colonel Truman is important, but he’s not sure if he can pull it off.

Then Summer pulls into the Garage, and-

It’s different. There’s a string of lights- Christmas lights, if Ziggy remembers correctly from his days at the orphanage- hanging from the ceiling, and there’s a CD playing of songs that are very familiar.  Usher. The Killers. Britney Spears. Beyonce. Lady Gaga. P!nk. All musicians that they played at-

Ziggy nearly drops the bags he’s just grabbed from Summer’s trunk when he sees Scott in that red-button-up and slacks that he used to wear to the club that Ziggy worked at, the set of clothes that had made Ziggy want to climb him like a tree the first time they’d met. Scott’s cleaned up, and as he looks behind Scott at Flynn and Dillon (the first of which is at the counter setting out snacks, and the second is hanging up the last of the lights), both of those guys have made an effort to dress up a bit. Flynn’s in a black button down and a- is that a blue _kilt_ \- while Dillon’s wearing his leather jacket over top of a black button-up and slacks.

“What the hell is going on?” Ziggy says, though he has a _wonderful_ sneaking suspicion as to what his stupidly beautiful Soulmate has done.

“It’s dance night,” Scott says, walking over to Ziggy and offering out a hand. Ziggy stares at it for a moment before Scott says with a smile, “I’ll take the bags, so that you and Summer can go change, if you want.”

“So you’re the bag boy in all of this?” ZIggy asks even as he gives Scott what he thinks is the sappiest smile he’s ever given anyone in his life.

“And the organizer of the night’s events,” Scott says, “So I do think I deserve a kiss for my efforts.”

Which Ziggy gives Scott easily, moving in to give him a quick peck on the corner of the lips as he slips the bags into Scott’s waiting hand. “You’ve certainly gotten better at flirting,” Ziggy says, then whispers: “Thank you.”

“It’s my privilege,” Scott says as the two of them start to head up the stairs to their room. “And to be honest, this is kinda counting as your birthday gift, as well.”

Now this is where Ziggy raises an eyebrow in confusion. “Birthday?” he asks.

“You’re eighteen, now,” Scott explains. “Your birthday happened while you were in the Wastes.”

Ziggy blinks. “I hadn’t realized. I mean, I _thought_ that maybe, but…”

Scott gives Ziggy a small but sympathetic smile. “Well, count tonight as your gift, alright? Let go, be happy, go dancing with me.”

Ziggy’s smile sharpens into something approaching a smirk. “I’ll take you up on that, my good man.”

Scott rolls his eyes as Ziggy opens the door to their room. Then Scott drops off the bags in his and Ziggy’s room, leaving Ziggy to change with a quick kiss to the cheek and a request to move somewhat quickly, so they can get to dancing (a request that Ziggy is all too willing to oblige).

Ziggy sorts through the clothes quickly, remembering what he and Summer had bought today. He grabs out a green button-down, black slacks, and that pair of green sneakers, changing into them. Once the clothes are on, he actually feels a bit...well, settled is probably the best word to use. Like there was something humming under his skin that hadn’t sunk in quite right until he’d put on the green clothing, something that recognized the green clothing as the pathway to clearing his head.

(Ziggy’s pretty sure it’s the Power, even if he has no scientific way to prove such a thing.)

He then tucks his two bags of clothes in the corner beside his and Scott’s bed, planning on sorting through them and putting them away later. He knows he has a drawer in Scott’s dresser right now (one with a pitifully small amount of clothes in it), but he might need another drawer now and he’s not exactly sure where to put his clothes without intruding on Scott’s space. (Well, they’ll just have to work that out together after dancing tonight.)

He emerges from Scott’s room at about the same time that Summer exits her and Flynn’s room. She looks rather pretty in her yellow blouse, navy blue blazer, black skinny jeans, and yellow platform sandals, her hair pulled back, almost like a completely different person.

Ziggy smiles. “Looking beautiful, Summer,” he says, and she gives him a small smile in return.

“Haven’t had an opportunity to dress up in a long while,” she says as they head down the stairs. “This isn’t exactly how I used to dress up, not by a long shot, but it does feel...well, nice and familiar.”

Ziggy marks that down as something to ask her about later. Much later. Summer doesn’t really talk much about her past before the Apocalypse, and no one’s really pushed her to, at least not that Ziggy’s aware of. 

And to be honest, he doesn’t plan to. 

Ziggy understands letting pasts stay buried. He won’t pry, even though he’s curious, and if she wants to tell him in due time, then he’ll wait. He’d be a shitty friend if he pushed before she was ready.

They reach the bottom of the stairs and Summer immediately makes a beeline for Flynn, who lets out a whistle at her appearance that Summer laughs at. Ziggy, on the other hand, looks for Scott, whose eyes widen just a little bit at his appearance, and Ziggy can’t help but feel a little proud. Like Summer, he hasn’t been able to dress up in awhile. When he and Scott first met and started dating, Ziggy was always wearing suits like the rest of the cartel members, always dressed sharp and clean. His clothing after he got back from the Wastes was incredibly welcome, but admittedly a bit of a downgrade from what Scott must have been used to seeing. While he knows that Scott doesn’t care, it does bring Ziggy a bit of satisfaction to have his Soulmate dragging his gaze over Ziggy’s outfit in clear appreciation.

(Ziggy can’t help but think, briefly, about the boy he never met, the first Soulmate of his who died in the Apocalypse. AJ Peterson of Ocean Bluff, who loved video games and musicals and superhero movies, who idolized the Jungle Fury Rangers and would have loved the fact that Ziggy is now the Green Ranger.

Ziggy never got to meet that boy. He spent years talking to him, falling in love with him. AJ had been the one person other than Sister Clara and Scott to instantly accept Ziggy when he came out as trans, the first person that Ziggy had ever come out to. AJ had loved him unconditionally and easily.

Ziggy wouldn’t give Scott up for anything, but occasionally, he can’t help but think of the boy he might have ended up with if the Apocalypse hadn’t so radically altered everything about the world. If maybe he might have met Scott briefly, if at all, and been so wrapped up in AJ that he wouldn’t have noticed the way that Scott danced or the curve of his smile or the bright gleam in his eyes. If maybe, in another universe, they would be nothing but strangers on a crowded street, brushing past each other without noticing a thing.)

“Want to go dancing?” Scott asks, offering out a hand to Ziggy, and Ziggy grins as he takes Scott’s hand.

(This is the world Ziggy is living in, and he is as happy as he could possibly be, with this wonderful man that he’s so fucking in love with he can barely process it, sometimes.)

“Been waiting for five months,” Ziggy says, “We’re finally making that date.”

Then the two of them step onto the makeshift dance floor they’ve all created by sliding the sofa and TV over to the far sides of the living room, and Dillon switches the radio on.

As Flynn, Summer, and Dillon watch, Ziggy shifts before them. Ziggy might be gangly and awkward on a normal basis, but he and Scott can _dance_. They move sensuously together, as if they know each other almost better than they know themselves. It’s like that long held belief that Soulmates fight better alongside each other than with anyone else- that same rule must also apply to dancing.

And holy _fuck_ does it apply to Scott and Ziggy, who weren’t even Soulmates five months ago, the last time they went dancing together. Were they this good together back when it was just them in a club?

“I kinda get how he got Scott’s attention,” Flynn mutters to Summer as they dance, “If this is how he dances.”

Summer gives them a smile as her and Flynn begin to dance as well, moving pretty well together if not at _that_ level of intuition. Well, her and Flynn aren’t really a couple who’s ever danced in their free time, so she guesses that she shouldn’t be making such a comparison. “I can see it, too,” she says, though she also notices other things about Ziggy, like the way he smiles at Scott or his half-horrible flirting that is almost charming, in its own way.

She also, however, notices something somehow more interesting than Scott and Ziggy.

“Wait a minute,” Summer says. By the door to the lab stands Dillon and Dr. K, who is still dressed in her schoolgirl’s uniform and lab coat, as usual.

“C’mon, doc,” Dillon cajoles the Doctor, who is steadfastly refusing to participate in any of the “frivolous revelries,” as she refers to the night’s activities, “Live a little.”

“How do you propose I do that and still monitor for potential attacks?” Dr. K asks, her voice sharp as usual.

“Loosen up a bit,” Dillon says, offering out an arm, and despite the deliberately nonchalant words Summer detects a certain warmness to his voice. “You can watch from here, and all of us still have our Morphers on. If there’s a threat, we’ll get rung for it. We’re not leaving the building, we’re staying in here. You can have some fun with the rest of us.”

Now, _that’s_ interesting, Dillon putting in the effort to soothe Dr. K’s worries and nerves. Not just interesting- kind of sweet, almost, in a strange, very un-Dillon-like sort of way.

Summer and Flynn have moved a bit closer to Dillon and Dr. K, leaving Scott and Ziggy in their own world on the dance floor, but the two guys don’t seem to mind. From here, Summer can see the way that emotions flash across Dr. K’s face as Dillon hold out a hand to her. There’s a massive height difference between Dr. K and Dillon- nearly two feet, almost- and his massive hand looks like it just might crush Dr. K’s.

And yet- Dr. K looks like she might just take him up on his offer, despite her protests to the contrary. She’s looking at Dillon with a calculating gaze, as if determining if it would be worth her effort.

And so Summer decides to switch up the dance style to one that Dr. K might be more comfortable with, in one final indirect push to get her dancing.

 

“Do you guys want me to teach you all how to waltz?” Summer offers, and Scott and Ziggy stop their dancing to take her up on the offer. Dr. K and Dillon do as well, though they’re not as obvious in requesting help as Scott and Ziggy are. Summer’s not sure if it’s because Dr. K already knows how to waltz or its just because of Dillon and Dr. K’s mutual dislike of asking for help in any sort of way. Either way, she doesn’t push them.

As she directs Scott and Ziggy through the motions, using Flynn as her all-too-willing example, she glances over at Dr. K and Dillon, who are working through the same motions that she’s currently teaching Scott and Ziggy. The image of Dr. K and Dillon dancing stiffly together is honestly kind of precious, especially once Summer sees Dr. K briefly give Dillon one of those rare smiles that she almost never gets to see.

And it does make Summer wonder, if she’s honest. Dillon doesn’t have Soulmarks, as far as Summer’s aware, and she’s similarly clueless about Dr. K’s state of Soulbondedness. They know next to nothing about Dr. K’s past, but they also know next to nothing about Dillon’s. They don’t know what kind of traumas lie in Dr. K’s past or in Dillon’s, what might be preventing them from reaching out in a healthy emotional way. They don’t know what kind of interest they might have in each other, what might be pushing them forward or holding them back.

All Summer knows is that these two people both deserve to be as happy as they can be, and if they take that happiness from each other, she couldn’t be more satisfied with that outcome.

Summer looks back to Scott and Ziggy, watching as Ziggy spins Scott, who laughs at something Ziggy’s said. They’re clearly happy together, nothing like the pain that weighed on Scott’s shoulders for the months that Ziggy was lost in the Wastes. Summer has to admit that she much prefers this Scott, who’s just as competent and good at his job as he was before, but much more settled in himself now that Ziggy’s here.

And then there’s Ziggy, a strange but not unwelcome addition to the team. His rambling can be a bit annoying at times, and he’s not exactly the perfect candidate to be a Ranger he’s certainly got the heart and grit for it. He and Scott make each other happy, are really good for each other.

(And she has to admit that he might just be one of the best cooks she’s ever eaten from, and that includes all the ones that her parents hired back at the mansion. Ziggy’s got a passion and a talent for the culinary form, one that she hopes he’ll someday get to show off to a greater crowd than just their team.)

“Want a drink?” Flynn asks as they slide into the final position, and Summer looks away from her friends at her Soulmate. Flynn McAllistair, the boy from Scotland with a bigger heart than anyone she’s ever met. Flynn, with a twinkle in his eye and who is always ready to help and support her, who is the closest she’s ever come to meeting a real life hero.

When Scott had chosen Summer as his second-in-command, Flynn hadn’t complained one bit. Instead, he’d just congratulated her and insisted on treating her to a date in celebration, a date which had ended in their room with _quite_ the sweet ending to the night. Summer hadn’t expected the response, had almost expected Flynn to insist that his training made him better suited to the position, but he hadn’t said a word in negation. He’d just been happy for her.

Happy- there that word is again. An emotion Summer hadn’t thought she’d get to experience again after Andrews died, but one that she is becoming all too familiar with nowadays, with this new team that is swiftly becoming her new home.

Flynn hands her one of the smoothies that he’d made- one that is laced with alcohol, nicely enough, and she may only be a couple months short of twenty (much less alcohol-legal than Flynn’s twenty three years), but in this world age doesn't matter as much when it comes to drinks- and takes one for himself. She offers hers- a nice orange, it looks like- up in toast and he clinks it against hers. “To happiness,” she says with a smile, and he smiles right back at her.

“To happiness,” he agrees, and then they both tilt their drinks back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, it looks like I might be rewriting this season little by little to fit this 'verse. I can't guarantee anything, but I do have some outlines and I hope to write some more for this 'verse. If you guys like it, please comment- your interest is what gives me the motivation to finish these stories/write more!
> 
> Also, hope you enjoyed this chapter- it was so much fun to write. Usually R.P.M. gives me such good angst inspiration, but this particular couple just keeps dialling up my fluff/romance/dance scene tendencies.


	3. say you'll stay with me tonight (you're the only thing that's good)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title is from "Walk Me Home" by P!nk.
> 
> Welcome to this 'verse's version of Ranger Green, guys- it's gonna be awesome!

_There is dirt under my fingernails and tread marks across my heart, but oh if I could be saved by anyone but myself it would be you._

_It is always you with your unassuming effervescent you-ness._

_My lungs collapse at the thought of you._

_My skin sings at the possibility of being touched by you._

**\- Michelle K., _You and Your You-ness_**

 

Scott is less worried about Ziggy now that he’s a Ranger, if he’s being honest. Beforehand, Ziggy might have been mostly out of the line of fire, but he hadn’t had any combat training whatsoever. Ziggy was good at running, but if he’d ever been caught he probably would have died at the hands of an attack bot.

Now, though, he has armor, an axe, and the Power to amplify his blows, which is a major addition on its own. Ziggy, also, though, has been throwing himself into training like a fiend, spending countless hours trying to get himself up to even a remotely close level physically to the rest of them. He's taken well to most training exercises, and the things that he's not that good at he's been putting in a lot of effort to better himself at.

Ziggy’s face also starts to fill out a bit better, the food at the Garage treating him a lot better than he had looked before. He’s never going to be round-cheeked and square-jawed, but the food helps him not be so close to skin-and-bones as he was when he emerged from the Wastes. 

He has ventured out a few more times outside of the Garage, to the grocery store with Flynn and once to the orphanage with Scott. He’s been careful to make such journeys at night so as not to encounter cartel members, but overall he’s been pretty good at avoiding any fights with cartel members.

All in all, life as a Ranger is treating Ziggy well. He's getting to prove himself as more than just Scott's Soulmate and a cook, getting to fight the Grinders that are invading the city he calls home, getting to live and fight alongside Scott.

(It's kinda the dream life. Almost. You know, except for the Apocalypse.)

- 

All of this training and work comes crashing down, though, when army soldiers enter the Garage one day with a warrant to arrest Ziggy.

They’re just playing pool when two soldiers- Scott recognizes them as Jimmy Landors and Penelope Valdez, two of his father’s- enter the Garage. For a moment, Scott just thinks they’re here to talk to everyone about something that his father can't be bothered to communicate over the comms, but then they beeline for Ziggy and a moment later Scott's Soulmate has his hands held behind his back.

“What the fuck is going on?” Scott demands, taking in Ziggy’s wide eyes and the way that Dillon looks practically ready to lunge forward and tear the two soldiers off of Ziggy. Scott gets the urge, honestly, but he also knows that whatever’s going on, fighting the soldiers that they have to work with on a regular basis won’t accomplish anything.

“We have a warrant to bring in Ziggy Grover,” Lieutenant Valdez says as her partner strips Ziggy of his Morpher.

(Well, fuck. That just crossed a fucking _line_.)

Ziggy’s eyes had been a bit wide before, but now they go huge, darting everywhere as he instinctively tries to track his Morpher. (Scott understands that pull- the Power has them always wearing their Morphers, and the few moments they have to take them off- to shower, and the like- he always feels his gaze dragged toward his Morpher to make sure that he has an easy way to access the Power. Dr. K had described the response as a natural extension of the “flight or fight” response, though she’d never entirely explained how or why it worked that way.) “Whoa,” Ziggy says, and his voice is almost shaking in a way that Scott’s rarely heard it. “I’m sure there’s been a case of mistaken identity or something, officers, I haven't done anything illegal."  _Recently_ is the word he doesn't say but that Scott can definitely hear in his voice.

“There’s an evaluation to see if you are appropriate for this position, Mr. Grover,” the Lieutenant explains. “The Colonel has recently had your record brought to his attention and he has doubts as to your moral character.”

“Ziggy’s record?” Summer asks, pouncing on the clear lynchpin of the soldiers’ argument as Scott tries to process the fact that _his father_ was the one that for some goddamn reason had ordered Ziggy’s arrest and evaluation, something he hadn’t done with any of the other Rangers so far, even Dillon (though, to be honest, Scott doesn’t think that Dr. K has let on everything about Dillon’s more advanced physique to Colonel Truman yet).

Lieutenant Valdez nods, clearly not looking to stir up any more trouble with the Rangers than what would naturally occur, and he’s always respected her. It’s just a bit different when she’s taken away his Soulmate’s Morpher, which rightfully belongs on his wrist just like Scott, Summer, and Flynn’s belong around their necks. Ziggy's earned that, if in an unconventional way, and to take away a Power Ranger's Morpher violates so many Ranger rules it's not even funny.

Lieutenant Valdez hands over Ziggy's Morpher to Scott, and it feels like he's suddenly been pulled into participating in some crime against Ziggy. Ziggy's Morpher sits in his hand like a hot iron rod, almost painful to hold as he holds the Morpher that has almost become an extension of Ziggy's body by this point. It almost feels like the soldiers have lopped off a body part of Ziggy's and given him the axe that did the crime.

But Scott does have at least one relief- Ziggy's frantic gaze softens when the Morpher lands in Scott's hand. He nods at Scott, as if giving his permission, and the weight of guilt lessens a bit on Scott's shoulders.

"I'll go with them," Ziggy says, treating this almost like a dentist's appointment, like something that just needs to be waited through rather than a gross violation of his rights. "Straighten all of this out." He gives the team a far-too-confident smirk as he's led out.

“I’m going to go talk to my father about this,” Scott says the moment Ziggy and the soldiers disappear, and his team nods. Over the past month, they've all gotten attached to Ziggy, consider him one of their own. Him getting his Morpher taken off is something they all need to fix, something they cannot stand.

-

“Why the hell did you arrest our Green Ranger?” Scott asks his father as soon as he enters his office in the prison, careful to keep any personal association with Ziggy out of the argument. He knows his father, and he knows that Colonel Truman would be questioning his objectivity within five seconds flat if he knew anything about Scott and Ziggy’s relationship.

“Questions of character,” Colonel Truman says, “Ziggy Grover was a member of the cartels up until four months ago when he stole to the tune of upwards of five million dollars for himself from the Scorpion cartel. That in no way describes a man we would be willing to trust with the Series technology.”

“We knew that when he became the Green Ranger," Scott says bluntly, matter-of-fact, and his father almost seems shocked.

“And you still hired him?”

Scott almost smirks, but resists the urge enough as he says, “We knew the reasons behind his illicit employment and the missing supplies and judged them sufficient.”

“This better not be because of your association with that bartender of yours,” Colonel Truman says, and Scott bristles.

Said bartender went missing for months, lost in the Wastes, and Scott thought he was dead for nearly a month. Scott had grieved Ziggy just as he’d grieved Marcus, had believed his Soulmate dead as his brother, both buried by Venjix lazers and explosions.

And his father never even knew that Ziggy went missing, that Scott had found out that said bartender was his Soulmate. He never stopped to ask why Scott had thrown himself into his job for months, why Scott had gone from being pretty happy and outgoing to nearly as solemn and duty-driven as his father.

Scott knows that he has dealt with Marcus’ death, generally speaking, in a healthier way than his father, reaching out to other people rather than crawling into his own mind and duty and not leaving. And he’d made his peace with it, months ago, before Ziggy had even disappeared. Ziggy’s disappearance had aggravated the wound, but it hadn’t destroyed him like the grief seems to have imploded inside of Scott’s father.

But now, with his father dismissing Ziggy without any idea of how much Ziggy has gone through before ending up as the Green Ranger? With his father speaking of Ziggy as if he’s nothing, as if Ziggy didn’t sacrifice his life for those sick orphanage kids and then spend _four months_ surviving the Wastes and then take on the role of Green Ranger even though he hadn’t thought himself worthy for the job?

Scott’s done putting up with his father’s shit, at least on this subject.

“And what of it?” Scott nearly snaps. “That he taught me not to judge how people choose to survive? That we shouldn’t hold someone’s past against them when they’ve proven time and time again that they only have goodness in their heart?”

“This Ziggy Grover wasn’t just a cartel member,” his father says, but it’s clear that just the fact that Ziggy was a cartel member is important enough to disqualify him from the job anyway. “He _also_ stole five million dollars worth of smuggled goods for himself.”

“It wasn’t for _himself_ ,” Scott says, “It was for a very good cause, as you’d note if you’d looked at our files on him.”

His father glances over at the files that clearly came from Dr. K rather than the cartel, then ones with Ziggy’s name in neat printed trype rather than some cartel member’s scrawl. “Your notes were backed up by unsubstantiated testimony,” Colonel Truman says, and Scott resists the urge to roll his eyes.

He leans in a little, careful to keep his voice low so that no possible passing cartel member can hear the information he’s imparting. He knows that Ziggy ran from the city rather than risk the cartel finding out about the orphanage- never in a million years would Scott risk the safety Sister Clara and those kids that even he’s become rather fond of. “Then check with the orphanage to see if that’s where the medical supplies went, Colonel.”

“We’re having Lieutenant Rossi talk to the Sisters at the orphanage about the medical supplies,” the Colonel informs him, so at least _that’s_ being done.

“And Lieutenant Valdez?” Scott asks, naming the other person who helped arrest Ziggy.

"Interviewing Fresno Bob."

Okay. The fuck? "You're asking the head of the cartel that _put the hit out_ against Ziggy Grover his opinion on things?"

His father's cautious neutrality snaps back into his previous sharp tone. "You are not to question my decisions," his father says, "Especially regarding persons that could be actively endangering your team and thus the rest of Corinth."

Something snaps inside of Scott. "Don't you think that I have enough sense not to let someone on my team that could be endangering it?"

Colonel Truman looks at Scott, something heavy in his gaze. "You don't have access to all of the information I do," he says, "You need us to doublecheck each of your decisions, a process we normally get to complete  _before_ a candidate is approved to become a Ranger."

Scott can hear the judgement in his voice, but he's having none of it. "Ziggy Grover becoming the Green Morpher was an emergency situation that he handled with grace."

As his father settles in for another point, Scott nearly sighs. He knows that his father won't budge, that he'll be in for at least another half hour before he gets his father to bend even a little on the whole Ziggy-situation.

Well, Scott's not exactly about to budge, either, not about his team. Not about the Power Rangers. And certainly not about Ziggy.

-

Summer and Dillon had insisted on being in the interrogation cell with Ziggy and the guards they’d assigned him, pushing their Ranger privilege to do so. Flynn is back at the Garage, monitoring communications with a rather incensed Dr. K (because regardless of her personal feelings on each of her Rangers, someone had interfered with training for the day and deprived one of her Series Operators of their Morphers, something that could not be forgiven), but these two have refused to leave the interrogation cell while Scott and Colonel Truman hash out Ziggy’s continued employment.

“Don't worry, Scott's taking care of this," Summer assures Ziggy. “We know that your past won’t interfere with your ability to execute your Ranger duties well.”

“That boyfriend if yours better be," Dillon says to Ziggy, as slightly overprotective as always in a way that Ziggy really appreciates. He’s never had anyone really worry about him save AJ and Sister Clara pre-Apocalypse, and then he just had Scott. Adding one more person to the list is a welcome addition.

“Oh, I know he will,” Ziggy says neutrally, not betraying the anxiety pulsing through him right now. “He’s really good at saving people.”

Ziggy’s unshakable confidence in Scott is clear to everyone in the room, even the guards posted outside the cell.

“You know,” Dillon says, seemingly out of the blue, “Orange really isn’t your color, Ziggy.”

Summer raises an eyebrow at him, but Ziggy understands that this is Dillon’s strange attempt at lightening the mood, on distracting them from worrying about Scott. So Ziggy gives Dillon a grin he halfway feels and says, “I know, it doesn’t really bring out my eyes, does it?”

Dillon snorts. "Not really. Even Scott's red shirts were better on you than that orange."

"Though of course the green is preferable," Summer adds, and Ziggy looks at her yellow shirt and Dillon's black and can't help but agree. He doesn't know what exactly has shifted in his brain since becoming a Ranger, but the idea of any Ranger without their color on actually sits strangely in his brain, feeling as unnatural as the idea of Summer having the hots for Dillon or Tenaya being a good person. Right now Ziggy himself is antsy without any green on, the Power sitting almost like an itch under his skin without any green clothing on.

(At least they let him keep his binder and his boxers on underneath, because he spent far too long with his binder ruined and gone in the Wastes and he  _never_ wants to go back to that again.)

"Gotta agree there," Ziggy says, trying to imagine Scott without red on. It's a rather bizarre idea- in fact, Ziggy doesn't think he's  _ever_ seen Scott without red on. The first time he'd met him in the club, Scott had already been the Red Series Operator and thus had that red button-down on. Ziggy had been wearing a blue button-up and black skinny jeans (an outfit that he can't imagine wearing again, not with its lack of green) and they'd danced to a lot of Usher that night, which Ziggy is sure they can blame on Naomi being the DJ that night.

Ziggy almost smiles, despite the situation he currently finds himself in, at the memory. That night had been the first night of many that Ziggy had spent dancing with Scott at the club, a tradition continued by last week's dance night in the Garage. Ziggy had had a night of absolute fun for the first time since AJ had died, and he'd found himself actually hoping for Scott's return. He can't remember exactly what had drawn him to Scott, the first time, but he's so glad that whatever it was, did happen, because even though he's stuck in another prison cell he knows that Scott is fighting for him in his father's office.

Then Scott enters the cell, clearly irritated, and Ziggy is pulled from memories. “Well, I think I’ve mostly gotten through to Colonel Truman, but they still want to keep Ziggy overnight to make sure that all of our testimonies check out with the records,” he says, and Ziggy’s face sags, if just a little.

“I’m going to be in here alone overnight?” Ziggy asks, and to anyone else he’d seem completely casual, but Scott can detect a hint of fear in his voice. And Scott knows the cause of it- it’d be incredibly easy for the cartel’s goons to attack him in his sleep if Ziggy’s left defenseless without a Morpher or someone on his side.

“Oh,” Scott says, a smug smile sliding onto his face, “I’m not leaving. I told my father straight up that I wouldn’t leave Ziggy in a prison alone overnight, that I didn’t trust what might happen to Ziggy if left alone with people who _want to kill him_.” 

Scott’s tone is biting and the reminder of the price on Ziggy’s head heavy, but Ziggy just grins. “Gonna cuddle up in a prison? Can’t think of anything more romantic.”

Soctt rolls his eyes fondly as he sits down next to Summer and Dillon. “You won’t get your Morpher back ‘til the morning, either, but I’ll be here to make sure no one hurts you.”

“Saving me again,” Ziggy says with a small smile. “A regular Disney Prince.”

“Except with a bit more style,” Summer says, more at ease despite the looming night ahead of Ziggy and Scott. At least Ziggy’s name has been mostly cleared at this point.

Dillon raises an eyebrow. “What country’s Disney?”

All three of them whip around to look directly at Dillon, Scott’s hand pausing on its way to Ziggy’s. “What’s Disney?” Scott asks, voice a bit shocked, and Dillon just purses his lips.

“Yeah,” he says, “I said ‘what’s disney.’ Amnesia, remember?”

“Right,” Scott says.

“I petition a movie marathon when we get back to the Garage,” Ziggy says. “Starting with Mulan, who’s objectively the best, then moving to Belle, then Tiana, then Cinderella-”

Alright, then. Scott hadn’t realized that Ziggy had this extensive a knowledge and passion for Disney. For a moment he wonders where Ziggy got ahold of the movies while in the orphanage, but then he just nods. “Alright,” he says, “Disney marathon as soon as we get back, barring any bot attacks.” He looks to Dillon with a smug smile on his lips. “All team members are required to attend, Captain’s orders.”

Dillon scowls a bit at Scott’s flagrant abuse of his leadership powers, but then something in his gaze goes a bit warm as he says: “ _All_ team members are required to attend?” he asks, something mischievous in his voice, and Scott nods, though he’s not sure exactly what Dillon’s planning.

Summer, on the other hand, grins. “You planning on inviting Dr. K?” she asks, and Scott blinks at Dillon, who just scowls even more deeply at Summer. It doesn’t phase her, though, as she just smiles wider. “You are.”

“The girl needs to get out more,” is Dillon’s defense, and that would have actually worked plenty fine if Scott hadn’t seen the way Dillon’s gaze softened, just a little, when Summer had said Dr. K’s name just a few moments ago. “Even if ‘out’ is just to the couch.”

“Sounds like you really care,” Ziggy teases his best friend, and Dillon just grunts at him.

“A valiant protest,” Scott jabs at their Black Ranger, who just fixes him with a glare. Scott shrugs and finally takes Ziggy's hand in his, curling the tops of their fingers together with the knowledge that by tomorrow they'll be free of this place.

"Ignore my lovely Soulmate," Ziggy says, and Scott smiles just a little at the word "Soulmate." For four months after the revelation, he never got the chance to hear Ziggy say the word in reference to him, nor did he get to use it back. Finally being able to use it tastes pretty sweet, he's gotta admit. "You can pretend to be as impersonal as you'd like, Dillon."

"You guys are going to make me want to walk back out into the Wastes and just let the Grinders take care of me, rather than deal with your 'friendliness,'" Dillon says, but there's a certain dry humor to his tone that has Scott not worrying too badly about their Black Ranger.

"You'll just come right back," Summer says, "Can't leave Fury behind, right?" Dillon scowls at the mention of his precious car, which really needs to be taken care of a bit better. Scott has been taking almost religious care of his baby, after all. "Knew it."

"As if you'd leave your car behind, either," Dillon argues, that familiar confrontational attitude flaring.

Scott smirks. "I wouldn't leave Corinth in the first place." He looks to Ziggy and his smirk softens into a fond smile. "There's too much here I care about." 

-

That night they sleep on the cot in the cell, Scott on the outside with Ziggy against the wall. Ziggy had protested, at first, but then Scott had made the point that _he_ had his Morpher and that Ziggy was the one that had a hit on him, and Ziggy had conceded to Scott’s logic.

Still, it is definitely a bit strange. Scott, unlike Ziggy, has never spent the night in a prison cell before.

“This is bringing back some fond memories,” Ziggy says as he and Scott try to fall asleep on the cot, so uncomfortable compared to the bed they share back in the Garage.

“Really?” Scott asks, and Ziggy nods, his long hair brushing against the collar of the orange prison jumpsuit.

"I've been to jail more times than I should probably ever admit to," Ziggy says, "Sometimes for things I did, sometimes for things I didn't do. Can't say I miss this, especially since I didn't actually deserve to get locked up this time." He grins at Scott, his smile gleaming in the dim light of the cell. "But thanks to you it won't be that long, this time."

"What can I say?" Scott asks, "I couldn't let you rot. You're a valuable member of this team, and I couldn't bear to let you get stuck here."

"It's still really appreciated," Ziggy says, talking quietly into Scott’s ear, breath warm against Scott's cheek. “You know, I'm going to save your life too, someday. I’m not always going to be the damsel.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” Scott replies, all honest.

Ziggy grins. “You think the idea’s hot, don’t you?”

“What?” Scott protests, careful to keep his voice as low as Ziggy’s. This isn’t exactly a place to let any sort of words be overheard by others, even if they’re just small flirts meant to ease each others’ anxieties about being stuck in here for the night. “A dashing hero saving my life? How could I not?"

Ziggy leans in, almost close enough to kiss Scott, and whispers, as if telling a secret: “Don’t worry. I think you’re hot saving my life, too.”

Scott nearly laughs, but refrains at the final minute. This isn’t really a setting in which laughter seems too appropriate. Instead he just entwines his fingers with Ziggy's between their chests, squeezing tightly for just a moment before letting go. "Nice to know. I'll try to keep it up."

Ziggy's expression goes a bit serious. "Not at your own expense, though," he says, and Scott nearly frowns.

"I know how to take care of things during a fight," he says, "I wouldn't risk the death of any Rangers to save another." Though even as he defends himself, he is well-aware of his tendency to try and save others, about the fact that he occasionally leaves openings open in fights when he's busy trying to make sure that all of his team members are alright after a particularly brutal attack.

"Good," Ziggy says, voice firm. "I wouldn't want you to risk your life for mine."

 _Of all of the people in this city,_ Scott thinks, gaze following the familiar hollows of Ziggy's cheeks, his pointed jaw, his long, soft hair.  _I'd risk my life for all of them, but no one more than you._

But then Scott notices the way that Ziggy's eyelids are starting to droop, so Scott turns over so that his back is facing Ziggy and his front is facing the door, so that way he can be ready to fight if anyone unwanted enters the cell. Ziggy should at least get a chance at sleep, after all. "Let's get some sleep," Scott says, ready for a long night of light sleeping.

"See you in the morning," Ziggy says, and Scott smiles.

"See you in the morning."

-

They wake up to the cell door unlocking and clinking open. Scott scrambles up and onto his feet, Ziggy following right behind, to find a guard holding Ziggy's clothes.

“You’re free to go,” one of the guards says, tossing Ziggy’s folded clothes at him. “Your history checked out with all of our files.”

Scott notices the relief on Ziggy’s face when the green clothing hits his hands. There is definitely something to be said for wearing your Power's color, something that feels almost like home. It helps settles you into your skin, helps you exist in the world without feeling wrong in your body.

(Scott's never transitioned like Ziggy has, but he supposes that it probably feels as right to wear your color as it did for Ziggy finally to be able to present as male, like your skin finally fits you right for the first time in a long time.)

The alarm goes off on Scott’s Morpher before Ziggy can change, though, indicating an attack bot invasion.

“Where the fuck is Ziggy’s Morpher?” Scott demands the guard, and he pulls the Morpher out of a pocket on his vest and tosses it to Scott, who immediately hands it over to Ziggy.

The relieved sigh that exits Ziggy's lips when the Morpher slides back onto its holster on his wrist come from a place low in his throat, a raw and wounded place. Watching his reaction feels almost as intimate as having sex, witnessing the vulnerability in Ziggy's expression as the Power slides back under his skin after being deprived of that connection for over 24 hour.

Then the raw expression leaves Ziggy's face after only a few moments, replaced by one of determination, and the moment ends. "Let's go save the city from an attack bot," Ziggy says, and Scott gestures to the clothing in his hands, the green fabric sliding between Ziggy's fingers.

"Do you need to change, first?"

"Changing can wait," Ziggy says. "Battle first." Now that the Morpher's on, Scott supposes that baring the lack of green clothing for just a little while longer probably doesn't seem as bad.

"Alright," Scott says, "Let's go, then," and they take off running, Ziggy's clothing clutched to his chest to be dropped near the battlesite to be picked up afterwards.

-

After they’ve fought the day’s attack bot, the other Rangers end up high-fiving or verbally congratulating Ziggy on returning to the team. They all act as if it had been a foregone conclusion that Ziggy would return, a belief that buoys Ziggy's chest just a little, this confidence in him as teammate that no one has ever really had in him.

(Ziggy's been a loner his entire life, surviving on his own for so long. He's had to rely on himself and thus has never trusted the co-workers in one job or one team enough for them to come to rely on him in return. To have this team believe in him- it's a welcome but very new sensation.)

Then they all head back to the Garage, where Ziggy gets to change out of the orange jumpsuit and into his now-familiar green shirt, blue jeans, leather jacket, and green socks. He puts the orange jumpsuit to the side to be returned to the prison some later time, and for a moment just appreciates how at home he feels in his new-ish clothing. His suits from before the Wastes were appropriate for cartel work, but not anything he ever had a personal connection with. Something necessary, but not his own. The orange jumpsuit in the prison served to dehumanize him, to turn him into a nameless face in a mass of criminals. 

This clothing that he's wearing now makes him feel not like an indistinguishable cog in the machine of the cartel, or as a subhuman who no one cares about, but rather a man of his own. This green shirt and green socks feel like they're personally his, like something that has his stamp on them as the man who embodies the Green R.P.M. Ranger. The leather jacket, with its green accents, makes him feel like part of a team that would actually care if he went missing. All of his outfit belongs to him and marks him as someone who is cared about, who has a place in this city, on this team.

(To be honest, it feels a lot like the time that he wore boys' clothes for the first time, at age eight, when he'd used the pronoun "he" for the first time. He'd started to feel right in his own skin, started to understand what it was like for everyone else who felt right in the body they had been born in.)

When he heads out to the living room to grab food, he finds Summer, Dr. K, and Dillon discussing their purposed movie marathon. 

"I really cannot condone yet another night of frivolous activities," Dr. K is currently admonishing, her voice sharp. "You have training in the morning

"Dillon's never seen a Disney movie," Summer says, "That has to be rectified."

Dr. K sniffs. "Neither have I," she says, and Dillon smirks.

"Good," he says, "If I have to suffer through this, you do too." 

- 

So once again, Summer finds herself in the middle of the team in their living room, Dr. K having been roped into the adventure as they try to bring some sense of normalcy to the end of the world. Last time it was dancing, giving them some sort of nightlife and romance- this time it is Disney movies, bringing back a sense of childhood and nostalgia that almost threatens to break the illusion of a world reborn that they have created in Corinth.

Scott ends up falling asleep against Ziggy's shoulder at just six in the evening, halfway through Mulan, and Summer catches Ziggy smiling fondly at him. "Long night?" she asks, leaning over from her spot curled up next to Flynn on the recliner. Dr. K is sitting stiffly on the sofa next to Dillon, staring at the screen in a combination of scientific judgement and open curiosity, while Scott and Ziggy have taken over the love seat. There's something almost adorable about two mostly-full-grown men cuddled up together like this, so open and soft.

"You could say that," Ziggy says, pulling the blanket off of the back of the sofa to the right of his head. He then drapes the blanket over top of him and Scott. "Scott slept on the outside of the bed, last night. I don't know if he even got more than an hour's worth of sleep, he spent so long up making sure that no one would get the jump on me while we were sleeping."

"He really cares, Ziggy," Summer says, and Ziggy finally looks away from Scott to give her a smile.

"Oh, I know he does," Ziggy says, such conviction is his tone that she finds herself believing that this is an irrefutable fact.  _Scott Truman cares about Ziggy Grover_ has the same factual weight to it as  _the earth revolves around the sun_ or  _pi times diameter equals circumference._ "And I care about him, too."

Summer wonders if Ziggy's used the word "love" yet, if he's let himself use that final declaration as casually and easily as he uses the Green Morpher. She knows that she and Flynn use it that easily around each other, but then again they've known each other since she was three and Flynn was six, gotten to grow up together. They know each other in and out, know each others' pasts and embarrassing secrets and biggest regrets. They know each other nearly as well as they know themselves. Telling someone you know that well that you love them probably doesn't have the same pressure and weight as telling someone you just met a little over a year ago that you love them.

But as she watches Ziggy, at the tenderness in his gaze as he adjusts the blanket around Scott's shoulders, placing a gentle kiss on Scott's sleeping forehead, she's sure that he's in love with Scott. She just wonders how long it's going to take him to admit it aloud.

She's distracted, however, by the two team members sitting on the sofa. "Now, that  _was_ a rather genius use of tonal shift," Dr. K says, sounding almost approving of the moment that  _Girl Worth Fighting For_ shifts into showing the devastation of the Hun invasion, and Summer thinks about the way that war slammed into her life without warning, with Venjix interrupting a party and killing off plenty of her friends and, eventually Andrews, the man who had loved her like her parents never had. "It really captures the reality of warfare."

Summer lets out a small snort. "You can say that again."

Dr. K's vaguely approving expression drops as she raises an eyebrow in judging question. "Why would I say it again? I have already iterated my point aloud."

"Figure of speech, doc," Dillon says from his spot on the sofa next to Dr. K.

Flynn leans in close to Summer's ear. "I honestly can't tell if they realize it or not," he whispers, a humorous lilt to his voice, and she thinks about it, about the fact that Dr. K can't even determine a figure of speech, about the fact that all of Dillon's memories on crushes and Soulmates and fairytales are buried under the Venjix virus.

"I don't think so," Summer concludes.

"Wonder how long it'll take them to realize it," Flynn continues, and Summer's not entirely sure how long it'll take either. Once again she finds herself thinking about the fact that in this world after the Apocalypse, relationships like her and Flynn's- previously the most ordinary sort of romantic relationship, that of two Soulmates who wrote to each other as children- is rather rare. Very few people have their Soulmates left alive in the Apocalypse-bound world they live in.

Plenty of people have developed a secondary Soulmate, in situations like Scott and Ziggy's, where previously Soulless people have had Soulmarks appear on their skin or where people whose Soulmates have died awaken to new Soulmates.

Soulmates are now the rarity, though, not the other way around. There are plenty of people without Soulmates now in Corinth, people learning how to date like the Soulless used to. Dating has actually become the usual way to pursue relationships, nowadays, not something reserved just for the few Soulless and UnSouled around. It has become usual to embark into a relationship without the certainty that Soulmarks generally provide, taking chances on finding someone who might end up being right for you rather than someone fate has given you as your perfect other part (or parts).

Watching Dillon and Dr. K, both seemingly Soulless, sit next to each other on the sofa and share a giant bucket of popcorn that Dillon is making sure that Dr. K remembers to eat in the middle of her commentary on the movie, is unconventional even for the current dating climate, though. They both lack a lot of knowledge of the world, of how relationships can procede, of how to initiate things. They lack any sort of context as to how to embark on any sort of romance, if they decide to take things that way.

Suddenly Summer is struck by the fact that the two examples of relationships that Dillon and Dr. K have to go off of are her and Flynn and Scott and Ziggy, neither of which might really represent the kind of entry-level relationship that Dillon and Dr. K might want to embark on. Both her and Flynn and Scott and Ziggy are couples that are really physical with their partners, ones that have sex with their partners on a regular basis, flirt and kiss constantly, and are almost sickeningly in love (because yes, Scott and Ziggy  _are_ in love, that's obvious by now). That's not exactly a cue as to how to initiate a relationship.

"Dear lord," she mutter into Flynn's ear, and her Soulmate raises an eyebrow.

"What's the matter?"

"I think the four of us are going to have to play matchmaker for Dillon and Dr. K," Summer says, "Or at least be their relationship mentors," and Flynn has to bury his face into her hair in order to keep his helpless laughter muffled.

"What?" Summer asks, unable to keep from smiling.

"I love you so much," Flynn says, his Scottish burr curving the vowels in that way that Summer can't help but fall in love with in return, nearly two decades after she first met them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dudes, I didn't think I'd be so into Flynn/Summer or Dillon/Dr. K as ships, but dude, they're so fucking cute. (Almost as cute as Scott/Ziggy.)
> 
> (Also, who needs a bad boy being a dick to his love interest when you can have a bad boy being nothing but soft to the girl he likes? Dillon in this fic is everything I'd love the "bad boy" archetype to be, so less gruff and "why do you love me" and more "let me be soft and protect you as much as I can and hold your graduated cylinders for you, babe.")
> 
> Alright, so these first few chapters are mostly similar to the show save for some relationship changes, but some massive plot changes will be coming after I get through the Ranger Green/Red/Yellow/Blue/Dr. K episodes and into the Gem&Gemma and Tenaya&Dillon arcs, with a pretty massive plot twist planned. Hope the two readers I currently have stick around for that!


	4. hey look ma, I made it (everything's comin' up aces)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title is from "Hey Look Ma, I Made It" by Panic! at the Disco.
> 
> Alright, so this is Ranger Yellow. I didn't skip Ranger Red- I rearranged them for character development/plot reasons, and Ranger Red will come next. Cool? Cool.

_Everyone thinks of [fairy tales] in terms of poisoned apples and glass coffins, and forgets that they represent girls who walked into dark forests and remade them into their own reflections._

**-Seanan McGuire, _Indexing_**

 

“Alright,” Ziggy says as they all pull into the Garage after answering all of the kids' questions, “I know Summer thinks Flynn is the most attractive and all, and he's the same but vice versa, and it’s clear who _I_ think is hottest, but Dillon, man, you’re an objective party. Who do _you_ think is the cutest team member?”

“I have the feeling you’re gonna be disappointed with the answer, mate,” Flynn says with a smirk as they all get out of the car.

“Who do you _think_ I would say?” Dillon asks Flynn with narrowed eyes as Scott puts an arm around Ziggy’s shoulders.

“Don’t worry, Ziggy,” Scott says, “ _I_ think you’re the hottest. And mine’s the only opinion that matters.”

“Ah, there you are, finally,” a strangely familiar woman says, and Scott’s arm, unfortunately, slips away from Ziggy’s shoulders as he slips into a more “leader” mode that he often uses with guests and visitors. The woman is followed by a man, both of them middleaged, though the woman has clearly had some work done to appear younger. “This must be the help.”

The man shoves a pool cue into Dillon’s hands. “There you are, my good man. Polish it, buff it, and chalk it in time for my next shot, if you don’t mind.”

Ziggy is pretty sure that Dillon might blow one of those gaskets in his head at the way that these two people are treating them, but Ziggy himself actually has some self-control on this issue. Ziggy's actually used to these rich types, the ones who came into the cartel bar with the expectations that they’d be treated like kings. And some of them were, to be honest- Fresno Bob never liked his clients treated poorly- but a number of them had a lot less power after the Apocalypse than before it, having lost a lot of their money in the robot takeover.

And Dillon follows through on Ziggy’s guess, breaking the pool cue in half. “Actually, I do,” he says, shoving it into the absolutely disgusted face of the man who handed it to him.

Scott seems to have a similar disdain for the couple as he says, “Uh, sorry, can I help you two?” After what happened last week, he’s clearly not happy with any non-team-members coming in and disturbing the team.

The woman drags her finger along the pool table, picking up a small layer of dust on her fingertip as she does so. “You can start by explaining why you don’t keep this place cleaner for our daughter and the Power Rangers?”

The pieces start to fall into place for Ziggy, between the woman’s blond curls and giant ring and pearl necklace. “Wait a moment,” he says, “I know these guys.”

Flynn, on the other hand, is still dwelling on her comment. “Wait a minute. We _are_ the Power Rangers.”

Once again, the couple seems disgusted. “ _You’re_ the Power Rangers?”

“Aye,” Flynn answers flippantly.

“Not their servants?” The man asks. “My goodness. How very middle-class.”

“Is that very in right now- the middle class, I mean?” the woman- Claire Landsdown, Ziggy’s pretty sure by this point- asks, and now even Ziggy’s starting to take a little offense. He’s been poorer than shit his whole life, and being a Power Ranger has basically given him a life he never could have dreamed of, something that the Landsdowns are thinking that someone would only do as an attempt to be 'cool.'

“They’re Martin and Claire Landsdown,” Ziggy turns to Scott and says, and Scott’s eyes light up in recognition at the names. He’s also lived in Corinth most of his life, just like Ziggy. “They’re like, uh, billionaires.” And fucking rude ones at that.

“I don’t care who they are,” Scott says, their billionaire status not meaning much to him. “You two, out, now,” Scott says to them, clearly done with intruders into the Garage, and people treating them like they’re dirt. “I’m done having strangers invade our space.”

As the team is taking them out, though, Summer shows up. “Summer, honey, would you please tell your servants to unhand us?” Claire Landsdown asks.

“Wait, Summer,” Scott says, raising an eyebrow, “You know these fools?”

“Well of course she knows us,” Claire says, “This is our daughter.”

“Oh bloody hell,” Flynn swears behind Dillon and Scott, “Summer, these two are your parents?”

And Ziggy realizes that Flynn must not have heard Ziggy’s whispered comment about the Landsdowns.

“Yeah,” Summer admits, looking not at her parents but at Flynn, who looks like he’s just bitten into a lemon. “They are.” Then she looks back at her parents. “Mom, Dad, what are you doing here?”

“Why, we’re here for our little girl,” Martin says, and Ziggy’s suddenly almost grateful that he doesn’t have any parents that can be this rude and embarrassing.

“Just like we always have been,” Claire agrees.

“You’ve got to be bloody kidding me,” Flynn swears, pushing out from the team and towards Summer. “Are they finally back for that stupid deal of theirs?”

Summer looks at her parents. “You are, aren’t you? Here to get me married off?”

Before Ziggy has a moment to process that little bomb of information. “Yes, we are,” Claire says, though clearly not at ease with the blatant flippancy Summer’s using. “Though I’m not sure why this servant of yours knows about it.”

“That _servant_ ,” Summer says, a certain dangerous edge entering her voice. “Is my Soulmate, Mom. And the Blue Ranger. So I’d ask you to be a bit more polite to him.”

Claire and Martin look like they’ve swallowed a toad, while Flynn is practically beaming at Summer. “ _He’s_ your Soulmate?” Martin asks, clear disdain in his eyes as he looks Flynn over.

“Yes, he is,” Summer says proudly.

“Then it looks like we were probably right to betroth you to Chaz,” Claire says, “This young man couldn’t possibly come from any sort of money.”

“Alright,” Scott says, “You two need to stop insulting my team, now, and get the hell out of here if you’re going to try and force Summer into some kind of marriage.”

Ziggy, for once, is reminded of the fact that before he and Dillon became Rangers, this team was entirely Scott, Flynn, and Summer for an entire year, and they got extremely close in that time, becoming something of a second family to all of them. Summer and Scott are clearly not close to their parents, and Flynn only has his father left. As far as Ziggy knows, all three of them are now only children, and Scott sort of picking them up as almost sibling-like friends makes a shitton of sense.

"But she made us an agreement," Claire argues, "She'd get married if we let her do this whole Ranger thing for a year."

"Wait a minute," Dillon says, disdain utterly clear in his voice. "You blackmailed Summer to get married to some guy that you chose for her by telling her that she would be "allowed" to  _save the fucking world_ if she said she'd do it?"

"It was a split second agreement made by me to get my parents to back off while I went and saved Scott's life," Summer says bluntly, and Ziggy blinks. He'd known that it had been Summer on her motorcycle that had gotten Scott into the city on time, but he had never her discuss it. He's only ever heard the story once from Scott before, months and months ago on a quiet date when Scott had described the day his brother had died. "Not something I actually-"

Then the alarms go off, indicating an invasion. Probably Tenaya again- it often is that particular Venjix general, lately.

- 

“You have a Soulmate,” Ziggy asks in the middle of battle as they deal with the Grinders. “Why do your parents want you to get married?”

“Money,” Summer says simply, “Nothing else. Not for love or anything worthwhile."

"I don't get rich people," Ziggy says with a snort as he bashes in the head of a Grinder.

"Me neither, mate," Flynn says as he flips over a table. "Present company excluded, love."

"Oh, trust me," Summer says, "I understand, trust me."

-

Once they're back to the Garage again, they once again find Summer's parents waiting there.

"Don't you two have something better to do than force your daughter into a marriage she doesn't want?" Scott asks as they all head into the Garage, pushing past Summer's parents.

"We need this marriage, Summer," Claire says, "Trust us. And so do you, as our daughter. It will provide for us, going forward. Restore us to the ways things used to be."

Then her father holds up the black diamond. "Like with this," he says, and her heart skips a beat.

"Is that-" Ziggy starts, and Summer nods, something cooling in her eyes.

"That's the Black Diamond."

"The one that-?" Scott goes to ask, and Summer nods again, then turns back to the team.

"Well, fuck," Ziggy says, "We need that."

"Yes, we do," Summer says with a sigh, and her parents' eyes light up.

"Well, if you need this diamond, you'll have to get married," Claire says, "We need this wedding as much as you might need this diamond, for whatever it is you need it for."

Summer's gaze goes hard as she glances back to Flynn, who gives her the smallest of nods, somehow having read her mind. "Alright," she says with a sigh as if giving into her parents' commands. "I'll get married.

Her mother squeals. "We'll have to get to planning, then! I'll call up the Winchesters and-"

"But only if we hold the wedding in the Garage," Summer specifies, knowing that her parents will give in.

Claire's face contorts to something between a smile and a grimace. "Of course, sweetie, though I have no idea why you'd want to have the best day of your life here."

"It's convenient," Summer says, biting back words about how the best days of her life have been here, in the Garage, with her team. 

Then her parents squeal and rush off to plan with the Winchesters, and Summer is left facing her team.

"'Fess up, Summer," Dillon says, "You would never agree to marry someone who isn't your Soulmate. What's really your plan?"

"Fake a wedding," she says with a grin, "Don't go through with it, not all the way. Get the diamond away from my parents, and I don't have to get married. Sound like a deal to you guys?"

Dillon almost seems to be grinning, which is a rather strange thing to see when he's not looking at Dr. K. "A fake wedding?" he asks, and Summer nods.

"Sure I'll look radiant," she says with a smile to Flynn, and he smiles back.

"You always do."

-

There's a knock on the door to Summer's dressing room two days later, and since Summer's already dressed she says, "Come in!" 

And then her heart skips a beat as Flynn enters, all dressed in his kilt, blue button-up, and black suit jacket. For a moment- just a moment- Summer imagines him wearing the same outfit on the day of  _their_ bonding ceremony, far more genuine than this farce of a ceremony that they're putting on just to get that diamond. She imagines the sort of outfit she'd wear- probably a simple white dress with a yellow blazer and yellow heels- rather than this monstrosity of a white gown that doesn't even have any yellow in it whatsoever. (Her skin's practically itching from the lack of her color.)

"I'm guessing that this  _isn't_ the sort of dress you're going to want to wear for our bonding ceremony, right?" Flynn asks, and she shakes her head. Once upon a time, the girl she was before the end of the world- yeah, that girl might have worn this dress. But not anymore.

Then Dr. K enters the room, tapping away at a datapad. "I do hope this whole ceremony is over soon," she says with an air of disdain, "We've had to postpone today's training in order to let this charade go forward."

"Charade?" Flynn asks, raising an eyebrow, and Dr. K sighs.

"You and Ranger Yellow's affection for each other is clear even to those of us who have utterly no investment in your relationship," Dr. K says, "You are constantly flirting and kissing each other and you are obviously in love. This wedding is not something that Ranger Yellow would ever readily agree to."

"Well,  _that_ was a startling good analysis of our relationship," Summer says with a smile.

"So what is the plan, then, Ranger Yellow?" Dr. K asks, and for a moment Summer takes pride in the fact that Dr. K's asking  _her_ for the plan. As second-in-command, she sometimes gets that from the team, but rarely from Dr. K.

Summer's gaze drifts over to the camera feed and she alights on something that should most  _definitely_ not be right next to the cake. Her mind cycles through possible explanations before hitting upon the one that always seems to pop up lately- that of Venjix interfering in things and trying to steal the diamond. (Again.)

Well, change of plans, Summer guesses.

"Dr. K," Summer says, "I'm going to need your help pulling something off."

-

The wedding- which half of the party knows to be an utter sham- begins with the bride walking down the aisle, a particular Blue Ranger not commenting on the height difference between the girl in the veil and the Yellow Ranger.

Then Mr. Landsdown stands up and begins the most asinine speech that Flynn thinks he's ever heard in his life. "Before we celebrate this wedding," he says, "I would also like to invite you to join me in celebrating the return to us of our daughter. I'm pleased to announce that the old Summer is back and she is here to stay."

Flynn, who was party to the old Summer and her partying ways, who knows how secretly miserable she was underneath of all of the alcohol and partying and fashion, who knows that Summer is at her happiest when she's with the team, fighting Venjix, nearly snorts. There is no way that Summer, bright and brilliant and kind, would ever go back to the life she had before becoming a Ranger.

The room claps for the announcement, with the rather obvious exclusion of Summer's team and Soulmate, all of which are privy to the fact that the new Summer Landsdown is the one worth keeping. The wedding is a farce to begin with- there's no reason to lend it any more credence than they need to.

Then Tenaya- because of course it's fucking Tenaya- leaps into the room and snatches the necklace from Mr. Landsdown's hand. The room erupts into chaos as Grinders pour into the Garage. 

"Now your city is doomed to the ashes of extinction," Tenaya crows, "Say goodbye to the city, Ranger Yellow." She rips off the veil, revealing Dr. K underneath, and a second later Summer flies into the room on a ceiling decoration, planting her boots right into Tenaya's face and knocking the diamond out of her hand. 

"No caterer would put the cake next to a recycled motor-oil bin," Summer announces, and Flynn grins proudly at his Soulmate, saving the day like the superhero she is. Then the rest of the team all proceed to fight the grinders, pretty much tearing apart the wedding decorations and set-up as they do so.

Flynn gets a bit distracted from his Soulmate by the fight, but within minutes all four members of the team other than Summer end up done with their fights and head over to Summer, where they find that she's been fighting Tenaya in the meantime. Tenaya's managed to get her hands on the diamond and download the camera bot, which is looming above the city with its weapon primed.

"Nice to see you in yellow again, love," Flynn says, taking in Summer's usual outfit of yellow, her leather jacket, jeans, and combat boots, "You look radiant."

Summer grins. "Always a pleasure, honey," she says, then holds up her Morpher. "Ready?" she asks, and the whole team pulls out their Morphers from pockets or bags, in Flynn's case.

"Ready," they echo, and she grins, moving into starting position.

"R.P.M.," she shouts, "Get in gear!"

- 

The team ends up back in the Garage at the moment that Dr. K blasts Tenaya off her feet using her violin. She scrambles away, muttering curses under her breath, and Flynn can't help but grin as Dr. K steps down from the altar after the battle, looking rather admittedly bad-ass with her beloved violin in her hands, despite how tiny she is in the giant dress she was wearing as a disguise.

"So," Dillon says to Dr. K, "That was pretty fucking impressive."

Dr. K's nose wrinkles. "That was basic physics," she says with a sniff, "A simple use of sonic technology that would interfere with her motor control for a brief moment."

But unfortunately, Flynn ends up getting distracted from the admittedly cute moment by Summer's parents, who are actually telling off the Winchesters in favor of their daughter. (Apparently miracles  _do_ happen.)

"She's a better Landsdown than us," Claire says, resting a hand on her daughter's shoulder in a way that almost spells pride- not the usual response from the Landsdowns, to be sure.

"Why don't you introduce us to that Soulmate of yours, honey?" Martin asks, "I think we need to make a better second first impression than we did before."

Summer's grin is radiant as she gestures for Flynn to come over. "Mom, Dad, I want you to meet Flynn McAllistair, my Soulmate and the Blue Series Operator."

Flynn is a man willing to give second chances, as long as other people are willing to put an effort into said second chances. And it looks like Summer's parents  _are_ putting an effort in. "Nice to meet you two. Again."

"Nice to meet you as well, Mr. McAllistair," Martin says, reaching out to shake Flynn's hand, and he doesn't seem to be grimacing as he shakes Flynn's hand so maybe he's being sincere. (Flynn certainly hopes so.) "You're a mechanic, correct?"

"Aye," Flynn says, "And a Ranger."

"The Blue Ranger, right?" Claire asks.

"Aye," Flynn says, "And your daughter is the Yellow Ranger. And the second-in-command of the Rangers."

"That's our daughter," Martin says, something actually proud in his voice. "Taking charge of things. Being a leader."

"And speaking of taking charge of things," Summer says, glancing around the room, "We kind of have to clean up this place, as it  _is_ our home, after all," Summer says, and Flynn looks around the room, gaze landing on Scott and Flynn, who are already working together to clean up the mess their fight left of the room that usually encompasses their living room and garage area. Summer's right in what she's saying- this  _is_ their home. It has been for over a year now.

"Well then, darling, we'll leave to give you room to take care of things," Claire says, which has more grace than she had earlier, when the Landsdowns first arrived in the Garage.

"Thanks," Summer says with a smile, and she steps forward with her arms outstretched. Her parents pull her into a hug, and for a moment it's really easy to imagine some day, in the far off future after the war with Venjix is somehow over, Flynn and Summer's bonding ceremony with her parents giving her away, just as Flynn's Da will give him away as well. "Love you guys."

"We love you as well, pumpkin," Claire says with a watery smile. "Have a good day. Find a way to call us. Your father's technically a lawyer for one of those cartels, and I'm going to find myself a job, as well."

"Cartels?" Flynn mouths to Summer, who just gestures in a way that says  _I'll tell you later._ He nods and tucks the question away.

So her parents say goodbye and leave, and so Summer turns to Flynn. "So, that went pretty well, didn't it?"

"Definitely could have gone worse, aye," Flynn agrees. "Didn't have to watch you marry someone else, and your parents seem to approve, at least a little."

"And now we have cleaning duty," Summer says.

"I'm sure we'll find some way to make it bearable," Flynn assures her, and she smiles at him.

"My hero."

- 

After the Landsdowns leave, it's up to the team to clean up the mess that has been made of the Garage. After about an hour, though, they find that what's left, however, is a decent amount of the reception still left over.

"We really shouldn't waste all this food and the speakers, should we?" Ziggy asks the team, a rather crooked grin on his lips that really shouldn't be trusted.

"What are you proposing?" Summer asks, a similar smile on her own lips.

"Well," Summer hears from across the room, and she glances over to see Scott next to the few bottles of alcohol that survived the fight. There's a bottle of tequila in his hands and a crooked grin on his face. "Ziggy, you were a bartender. Want to show off your skills?"

"I'm on board," Flynn instantly says, " _If_ Summer can mix a couple of drinks as well."

"I wasn't a bartender, but I  _did_ learn how to make a good cocktail."

"Wanna bet who'll win?" Scott asks, "Ziggy versus Summer?"

"I'll put a bet on Ziggy," Dillon says with a smile at his best friend, and Ziggy grins right back.

"I'm not one for betting- it's a rather frivolous activity- but Ranger Yellow certainly has a few years of experience on Ranger Green," Dr. K points out, and Summer smiles at her.

"It's a bit obvious who Scott and I are betting on," Flynn says, "So if you guys are up to it-?"

"Wanna see who can make a better cocktail, Summer?" Ziggy asks, already sliding off his suit jacket, flashing his green button-up underneath.

In response, Summer pulls off her leather jacket- she'd changed clothes the moment that Dr. K had agreed to go in her place as the bride after spotting Tenaya and her grinders in and near the building- revealing her yellow shirt underneath. In turn, Ziggy rolls up his sleeves as Scott sets the alcohol down on the table, Flynn adding his smoothie ingredients as well.

Then, over the next few minutes, Ziggy and Summer mix their drinks. While assembling her own cocktail, Summer observes the competition. Summer knows what alcohols and flavors work best together, but Ziggy's got flair with his mixing. As a bartender, he's learned how to lend style to his mixing. He's utterly in his element mixing drinks in a way that he rarely is, otherwise. Other than cooking, there's very little that Ziggy has been able to show as his own 'thing.'

(Summer's just fine with losing, if his drinks taste as good as him making him looked.)

And when they actually try the drinks at the end (she made a Paloma with lime juice and tequila, with some grapefruit soda to top, while Ziggy made a straight margarita with lime juice and the same tequila, with some orange liqueur added), she's not wrong. Ziggy's cocktail tastes just as good as hers, and he grins at her as they taste each other's after they've been passed around for everyone to have a sip.

"You've got style, I've got to give it to you," Summer says, savoring the familiar burn that she tasted so many times at parties before the Apocalypse. It's just a little bit better now, though, having been prepared by her teammate.

"You as well, Landsdown," Ziggy says with a wink.

"Ziggy wins, right?" Scott cuts in, "He had  _more_ style."

"Well, considering that it was his  _job_ ," Flynn concedes, though a bit gruffly, and Scott swings an arm around Ziggy's shoulders, grinning at him proudly.

"Sounds like a win to me," Scott says, pressing a probably lime-tasting kiss to the corner of Ziggy's mouth. Then he slides his arm down to Ziggy's hand, pulling him away from their cocktail-making tabletop and into a dance.

Ziggy laughs and follows Scott, leaving the rest of them standing there. "Why not have another dance party?"

Dr. K lets out a small sound that might be equivocated to a groan, if the Doctor was capable of such an action. "Not another one," she sighs, though she makes no actual move to stop them other than heading back to the lab.

Summer knows Dr. K can't be tipsy after just the two small sips of the cocktails that she made, so she must have actually decided to just let them have fun without too much complaining. Well, that's certainly a step in the right direction.

"So, where are we on plan  _Make Dr. K and Dillon get their heads out of their asses_?" Flynn asks quietly, glancing over at Dillon, who's standing at the food table eating as he watches Dr. K work in the lab.

"Still haven't talked to Ziggy and Scott about it yet," Summer replies, "Too busy planning a wedding and all."

"So you wanna check that after we dance a little?" Flynn asks, and Summer smiles.

"Maybe we should wait 'til tomorrow," Summer says, "And finish up these cocktails first."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Flynn replies. 

-

"Have you ever thought about our bonding ceremony?" Ziggy asks that night as they're changing for bed.

Scott has thought of it a little bit, if he's being honest. When he was younger, he'd imagined a wedding a few times, which for the most part is rather similar to a bonding ceremony, with the only major differences being a lack of a marriage proposal (Soulmates already know that they'll be together forever) and the inclusion of the colors of one's ink in their ceremony outfits. He'd imagined getting married, him in one suit and his husband in another. He'd never really pictured much beyond that, and then the Apocalypse itself had practically shriveled that image into nonexistence. After he'd met Ziggy, he'd thought of something more, of something different-

Actually, he takes that back. He'd imagined one other thing as a kid and a teenager, an image that had been shattered by Venjix.

Scott purses his lips as he slides his red t-shirt on. Unlike Ziggy, who is a human furnace, he likes to sleep with his shirt _on_. “Marcus was going to be my best man, if I got married.”

Ziggy doesn't grimace. He doesn't apologize. Instead, he just looks up from dropping his clothes for the day in the laundry bin by the door. "It's been over a year, hasn't it?" he asks, a note of sympathy to his voice- a sympathy that doesn't extend to pity, thankfully.

In all honesty, Scott's pretty much dealt with Marcus’ death by this point, even if his father hasn’t. Talking with Ziggy about AJ, learning to build a life outside of his family and after the Apocalypse, being a Ranger and saving everyone- it's taught Scott how to move on, how to deal with his brother's death, how to deal with the fact that he's now being expected to shoulder the responsibilities of leadership that Marcus always had down pat.

But thinking of Marcus leads to Scott thinking of the Wastes, to thinking about the fact that nearly everyone died out there while some people- very few people- survive.

"Yeah, it has," Scott says, "And it's been about two months since you escaped the Wastes, right?"

Ziggy looks down at the laundry bin as he chucks his clothes in there. "Yeah, it has."

“How did you survive out there, in the Wastes?” Scott asks, “Without the Ranger armor?”

Ziggy’s gaze goes a bit dark and distant as he sits down in the desk chair. “Well, it's not pretty. Not sure you'd want to hear."

Scott knows that whatever Ziggy went through has to have been horrible. With the devastation he saw in his few hours escaping the Venjix invasion on the days of the Apocalypse, with the destruction they've managed to wreak just in their short-lived invasions of Corinth, he knows that it can't have been anywhere near pretty.

So instead, Scott sits down on the end of the bed so he can face Ziggy. He holds out a hand, placing it on Ziggy's knee. "If you went through it, I want to hear it. I'm here for you, okay, just like you're here for me."

Ziggy swallows. "Alright, then. You wanna start with how I survived the Grinders or how I survived the elements?"

Scott isn't sure he wants to hear either at all, but he knows that he has to hear what happened. And he supposes that the story of how Ziggy escaped the Grinders is probably a  _bit_ less horrifying than what he did to stay alive, what with the skinny state he returned to Corinth in, and he thinks that he probably wants to get the worse out of the way first. "The elements." 

"Well, let's start with food," Ziggy says, and he is lacking nearly any of his usual confidence. Instead he's just kinda looking at Scott's cheek, his gaze not fixing on Scott's eyes at all. "There were a lot of twinkies in ruined cities. A lot of fresh food had gone rotten since the Apocalypse, and nearly all nearby fields had been trampled by Grinders, so I ate a lot of non-perishables when I could find them and learned how to go without when I couldn't." Ziggy gives Scott a pained sort of smile. "You might have seen how skinny I was when I got back."

Scott remembers the state of Ziggy when he returned to Corinth, the way his cheekbones had threatened to press through the skin of his face and the sharpness of his elbows and knees. Ziggy's always been thin, but that had been extreme.

"And as for the Grinders- well, I tried to avoid them as much as possible. Nothing too heroic about that. I didn't speak for nearly four months, and I tried to minimize the amount of noise I was making at all costs. At night I sometimes tied a strip from my pants around my mouth so that I wouldn't wake up screaming."

That- Scott can barely imagine that. He can barely contain the horror he feels at what Ziggy went through, what things he might have done to survive the outside. He imagines everyone else who got stuck outside the walls and had to try to do the same thing, everyone that they've failed to save along the way- 

Which brings them back to Marcus, about how Ziggy survived and Scott's brother didn't. Though Scott no longer feels as guilty for Marcus’ death, he can’t help but wonder about his brother. About what Marcus would think of Ziggy, who is in no way the conventional partner for two guys who’d been training for the air force.

"I think Marcus would like you," Scott says.

"Well, we know Dillon likes you well enough."

Scott raises an eyebrow. "Dillon?"

Ziggy's expression is far more smirk-like than it was moments ago. "Well, Dillon's almost definitely going to be my best man for the bonding ceremony, so we should probably get ready for that."

Scott appreciates Ziggy's attempt at lightening the mood, which he has to admit is working even better than usual due to the sheer image of Dillon giving a speech at their reception, however far off in the future that might be.

"And also, you know, for your father."

Scott's spine straightens just a little at the mention of his father. "And what about him?"

"Well, can you imagine your father’s face at our bonding ceremony?" Ziggy says with a grin. "Whenever I meet your father he's still gonna think that I'm a criminal, so I think we've got some decent awkwardness ready for the wedding."

Scott snorts. "I can't wait for it, though I honestly hope you meet him before the bonding ceremony."

"Meet you father before we've saved the world?" Ziggy asks. "Yeah, I don't think the Zig-man can handle that."

Scott laughs, raising his hand from Ziggy's knee to his hand, clasping it in his. "The 'Zig-man?' God, you're lucky I already love you."

Ziggy blinks, and Scott realizes what he just said. He swallows, unsure how Ziggy's going to respond. Ziggy doesn't take that long to respond, though. "Good thing I love you, too, then."

 

Scott tugs on Ziggy's hand a bit, pulling him up off of the desk chair and toward the bed. "Wanna show me?" he says, and Ziggy gives him a rakish grin.

"Always."

-

"I want you to meet my Da," Flynn says as he and Summer lay in bed that night, and Summer blinks at him.

"How in the world could you think of that after the disaster that was my parents showing up?"

Flynn shrugs. "It wasn't that much of a disaster in the end, really." He gives her one of those lopsided grins she loves so much. "And besides, my Da's a lot more easy-going than your parents, by a long shot. He'll love you, I promise."

Flynn's smile is so earnest that it's almost easy to believe him, if Summer wasn't very aware of the fact that the last Flynn's Da was aware, she was a airheaded socialite with no idea of priority and an insistence that her biggest goal in life was to party her way through college.

"You're a wonderful person," Flynn says, "One of the bravest and smartest people I know. My Da will love you, I swear."

Summer is a woman very aware of her own strengths and weaknesses, and she is very aware that Flynn is uniquely aware of those as well. "Alright," she says, "I'll believe you." 

-

They arrive at Lloyd McAllistair's mechanic's shop early the next morning to find him asleep in his seat, a scrapbook fallen open over top of his chest.

Flynn picks up the scrapbook on his Da's lap, flipping it open to find it full of newspaper articles. Most of them are of him saving the city, but quite a number of them are about Summer, as well.

"Look," he says, holding it up for Summer to see. She leans forward to look at the newspaper articles.

"He really cares about you," Summer says, and Flynn smiles at her.

"And you, look," he says, gesturing to the one of the articles. "There's one for you, right there. And that's not the only one." Her eyes go a bit wide as she takes the scrapbook and flips through, and Flynn smiles. "See? He's already proud of you." A soft smile spreads across Summer's face.

Then Flynn leans over to his Da, tapping him on the shoulder to wake him up. Lloyd stretches a bit as he stands up, pressing against his back to get out all the kinks. Then Lloyd reaches forward and pulls his son into a big hug. "Flynn, lad, nice to see you home!" Then, as he pulls back from Flynn, he looks over at Summer. "And you- you must be Summer, aye?" Lloyd says, offering his hand to Summer. She smiles and nods. "Lovely to finally meet you, lass."

"Nice to meet you too, Mr. McAllistair," she says, years of etiquette training kicking in. She wants to make a good first impression, after all.

"No need for "Mr. McAllistair,"" Lloyd says, "Just call be Lloyd."

"Yes, sir," Summer says, and Lloyd smiles at her.

"No need for sir, either," he says, "I'm just a simple mechanic, that's all."

"Being a mechanic isn't 'just' anything," Summer says, looking at Flynn with a proud smile, and Flynn doesn't think he's ever felt this good in his life.

Lloyd laughs. "I like you, lil' lass."

"Glad you do," Summer says. "Because I certainly like your son, and I'm hoping to stay around for a very long while."

"I'm sure Flynn would enjoy that," Lloyd says with a large smile to his son.

Flynn takes Summer's hand in his with a smile. "That I would, Da."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dudes, I've been spending so much time writing future chapters that each of the earlier chapters might be taking a little bit longer to come out. Sorry about that, but to be honest, I've been having so much fun with later chapters that I hope you guys will all appreciate that I hope y'all can forgive me for the longer wait between chapters. After all, you'll be getting lesbian sparring scenes, a massive plot twist, a certain character joining the team far earlier than canon, stargazing, gratuitous Casey/RJ cameos, a discussion of Power Rangers' wardrobes, plenty of kissing, and out favorite dumpster fires Dr. K, Dillon, and Gem working out some shit between them. Sounds like fun, right?


	5. the man who would be king goes to the desert (to sing war his dad rehearsed)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title is from "20 Dollar Nose Bleed" by Fall Out Boy, though I listened to both that and their song "Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes" to write this chapter.
> 
> Also, I know that the original Ranger Red was about Scott dealing with the guilt over Marcus' death, but in this 'verse he dealt with that a lot earlier, so it's going to have a different emotional focus, alright? Cool.
> 
> Also, I don't think there's any Dr. K/Dillon interaction in this chapter, but there is Casey/RJ, so that's gotta be a decent substitution, right?
> 
>  
> 
> Also, uh, hi! *waves sheepishly* It's been awhile, hasn't it? Sorry for the wait- my Power Rangers muse hasn't really bit in awhile and so these unfinished chapters never got updated. I do have an outline for this story, but without inspiration or motivation, it's kind of sat in the dust for almost half a year, now. I hope to get more inspiration going forward- because I have some pretty awesome plans for Tenaya, Ziggy/Scott, and a complete twist to the back half of this season, but who knows what'll come next? Hope you enjoy this update in the meantime, though!

_you’re in love with a boy who is a prayer on your lips with no god to go to._

_he’s bleeding sunlight and you’re trying to patch up the holes in his heart with trembling fingers and the blood keeps spilling._

_you’re in love with him, here’s the best part: he loves you more than his own life._

_he’s golden as they come but he’s bleeding out._

_one day, someone will strike a match on him and he’ll explode._

_so, here’s the worst part: he loves you so much more than his own life._   

 **— _SUNLIT LOVERS_**  |  **[M.J.](http://fairytalesques.tumblr.com/commissions)**

 

When Dr. K tells them that there's a part they need to complete the Croc Carrier- the Zord configuration that will specifically benefit Dillon and Ziggy, who could always use more armor and weaponry on his side- Scott's father tells Scott that he's not ready to leave the dome. He tells him that even Marcus knew that Scott wasn't prepared for a mission like this.

But Scott knows that his father is underestimating him, that he's letting his grief over what happened to Marcus cloud an accurate assessment of Scott's capabilities.

Scott knows he can do this. He knows he can get that part- that _he_ needs to get that part, in order to keep Dillon and Ziggy's Zord updated and give them a fighting chance of winning battles.

Scott thinks, briefly, about taking a teammate with him, but then he thinks about Ziggy, who barely even survived even after everything he did to make it through, and about his brother, who didn't survive at all, and he knows- he knows that he can't risk any of the rest of them out there.

They are a team for a reason. Each of the Rangers is necessary to defend Corinth from Venjix. He can't risk any more of them dying in the Wastes, especially since the Morphers are genetically bonded to each of them. If they die out there, there's no way to replace them in the Morphing Grid. There's no way to find a new Series Operator to take their Morphers.

His father told him not to go, but Scott can't do anything but try and save everyone. It's always been his fatal flaw- he has to be the hero, has to do everything possible to save everything.

He sneaks out to the gates, following the coordinates that he took from his father, he times the fire jets so that he can make it out to the Wastes on time.

And then he's out and on his way and determined not to fail this mission for any number of reasons.

-

When Ziggy hears, when he knows that Scott left without any of him, that he is utterly alone without any way to communicate with the team back in the base, well-

Ziggy might be the only person in the Garage with less of a sense of self-preservation than Scott. He knows what it is to make the decision to go into the Wastes in order to save other people.

Ziggy swallows, staring at the computer screen. He still often wakes up at night with the orange light of the Wastes staining his nightmares. He still flinches, sometimes, when he brushes up against Fury or rushes into battle. 

"Fucking damnit," Dillon shouts, "Scott's an idiot! Does he have _any_ idea of how hard it is to survive the Wastes?"

Scott  _does_ know, because Ziggy knows and he told him. Ziggy knows, even better than Dillon, how hard it can be to survive the Wastes. At least Dillon had a car (though they're still not sure where or how he got it) and a supply of a few water bottles- Ziggy had  _nothing_ but his suit and a flashlight that he lost three weeks in and his wits.

And Ziggy can't let Scott go through all of that, at least not alone.

Ziggy is utterly terrified of going back out beyond the walls of Corinth, but he is more scared of losing Scott. Braving the waste that nearly ruined him means nothing if the alternative is losing the man he loves. 

He can't let his soulmate die for the second time, not what he can stop it, not when he can save his life. There's no fucking way that Ziggy's going to let Scott go through what he went through, going to let Scott die alone in the devastation.

Ziggy takes a deep breath. He survived the Wastes once- he can do it again.

(Ziggy's never been that good at self-preservation, not when it comes to the people he cares about.)

So he plugs in the coordinates that are flashing on the grid into his Morpher, and he teleports out of the base and into certain danger.

(He's most definitely going to get yelled at if- no, _when_ \- he gets back. Dr. K is going to let him and Scott have it. And Ziggy's completely okay with that, because he's going to have already given Scott a verbal run-through before they return.)

-

Scott has gotten used to fighting with a team. Almost too used to it, actually. Fighting Grinders something he can do totally fine, something he's really good at, but he's so used to having Summer and Flynn and even Ziggy and Dylan guarding his back that he keeps leaving openings that Grinders keep getting into.

It's in these moments, as the Grinders keep pouring forward, that Scott realizes that he shouldn't have done this alone. He realizes that there are some things that he should be able to trust his team to accomplish, things that he shouldn't be afraid of them getting hurt by. There are things that they've trained to fight, battles that could only have been won by Scott working together with Flynn and Summer, and lately Ziggy and Dillon.

Going out into the Wastes is a thing that can be survived, obviously- Dillon and Ziggy both did it, without any armor. But with a target as large as a Ranger uniform on his back? With no backup?

That's basically a suicide mission.

Scott is going to die out here, overwhelmed by Grinders for making one of the stupidest, most reckless decisions of his life. He is going to die out here, just like his brother, but with even less sense. And then Corinth will be left without a Red Ranger, the team without a leader (though Summer would probably be able to step up in his absence), and his Soulmate UnSouled twice over.

Then Scott sees a flash of green out of the corner of his vision, and he must be imagining things. He must be thinking too hard about Ziggy as he makes his way through the Wastes. Makes sense, doesn't it- in his final moments, to think of the Soulmate he's leaving behind. To think about failures and successes, about who he'd miss most-

But then the flash starts to cleave its way through the Grinders around Scott, eventually coming up against Scott's back, and he's not imagining things. That's Ziggy, in the Green Ranger armor, fighting his way through the Grinders out here beyond the walls of Corinth, because Scott's Soulmate really doesn't have a self-preservation instinct to speak of, does he?

The appearance of one of his teammates- and  _this_ teammate in specific- brings Scott a burst of energy and adrenaline, and the two of them end up taking down all of the Grinders, fighting side by side.

And to be honest, it's fucking amazing. Scott usually fights trio style, while Ziggy fights with Dillon, which works due to their suits' respective powers, but they're Soulmates. The legends about Rangers who are Soulmates fighting together like a singular machine, complementing each others' styles perfectly- well, Scott suddenly finds that there is plenty of truth to those stories. He and Ziggy are near unstoppable together, fighting like they've fought together for years rather than just a couple of months.

Once all the Grinders are down, Ziggy DeMorphs, leaving him in his usual clothes underneath. And there's relief in Scott's heart, a warmth buoying his chest, but then he takes in the fact that Ziggy looks utterly pissed and he swallows, DeMorphing silently.

"What kind of fucking idiot are you that you'd run outside into the Wastes, completely alone, after everything I just told you I had to go through?" Ziggy demands, and Scott thinks it's the very first time he's ever actually seen Ziggy angry.

"I needed to get the part-" Scott starts to explain, but Ziggy's monologue just bulldozes over him.

"You're already a hero, Scott. I don't need you to become a martyr because you didn't stop and ask for help. I don't need you to become yet another name on my skin." Ziggy angrily rolls up the sleeve of his leather jacket and a shirt underneath, revealing the name _AJ Peterson_ underneath, still carefully inked in every day. Next to are a few notes that Scott and Ziggy wrote this morning, small words and reminders to each other. 

Scott stares at the actual, furious tears he sees welling up in Ziggy's eyes- it's the first time he's actually seen Ziggy cry, either.

"Don't you dare make me UnSouled twice over," Ziggy orders, desperation clear in his voice, and Scott can hear the ghosts in Ziggy's voice. He can hear the dead Soulmate whose body Ziggy will never find, because he has no idea what AJ Peterson looks like, because the end of the world makes all the bodies it creates lost forever. He can hear Ziggy, unable to watch another of his Soulmates die, who must have thought that he was losing his Soulmate again.

Something opens up in Scott's chest, something that aches and threatens to devour him. The idea of making Ziggy lose a second Soulmate, making Ziggy have to go through that agony again- Scott can't imagine being the one to inflict that sort of pain on the boy he loves.

"Alright," Scott says, "I should have asked. I should have brought someone with me." And something folds in Ziggy's face, something softens as the anger leaks out. "But I do have to help," Scott says, "That's what being a leader is about. That's what being a Ranger's about."

Ziggy's expression sharpens into a smirk. "I know," he says, "That's what I'm here for. What I'm saying is that you don't have to do this alone. I’ll be your backup so that you can focus on getting your mission done."

And staring at Ziggy's determined expression, at the line of stubbornness in his spine, Scott can do nothing more than lean forward and pull him into a kiss. Scott never thought that a kiss can burn before, but in this moment, that is all that Ziggy's lips are doing.

"So romantic," Ziggy jokes as they pull apart, "With all the dead Grinders around us."

"You're the one that said that saving people was hot," Scott instantly replies, and Ziggy's expression shifts.

"Wait a hot second," Ziggy says, "Did I just save you?" There's a smirk on his face and a humorous lilt to his voice, and Scott kind of wants to kiss him again, half despite his arrogance and half _because_ of his arrogance.

"I'd have to say you did," Scott says, and Ziggy grins.

"Did you think I was hot doing it?"

The Wastes are burning and Scott's already hot from fighting but somehow, his cheeks still warm at the question. Instead of answering, though, he turns to look past the dead Grinders and towards the coordinates where he knows the part must be.

"Let's finish the mission," Scott says, "Let's find the part and head back to the city so that the good Doctor can build the Croc Carrier for you and Dillon."

Ziggy nods, though he's smirking as he does so. "Your wish is my command, Ranger Red."

And the thing is- Scott knows that despite Ziggy's teasing tone, he's completely serious. Ziggy would follow Scott's lead as Red to the very ends of the earth, and he honestly has, following him out into the Wastes.

And that's something Scott doesn't think he'll ever be able to forget again.

-

"Your Ranger Green is a very stupid man, but he is also a brave man," Colonel Truman says after Dr. K has informed him of where his son- and Ziggy- ended up, and Summer's pissed off at both Scott and Ziggy for what they just did- leaving and heading into the Wastes on their own- but she's also pretty proud of what the Colonel just said.

"So is your son, Colonel," Dr. K says, as Summer glances at the surveillance footage that Dr. K has cued up of the area by the gate. There's a flash and Scott and Ziggy land, Ziggy in his Morphed form- though mere seconds after they arrive, Ziggy falls backwards out of his Morphed form and into his everyday clothing, Scott catching him as Ziggy stumbles into his side. There's a part in Scott's hand that makes Summer smile even as a wince of sympathy flashes through Summer's chest at the sight- she knows that teleporting twice in as many hours must have seriously drained the Power from Ziggy's suit.

"They're on their way here," Summer informs everyone, and Dr. K's gaze darts to the map of Ziggy and Scott's signals, which are making their way in towards the Garage. To Summer's surprise, Dr. K lets out the smallest of sighs of relief.

"That they are," Dr. K confirms.

-

The moment that Scott and Ziggy make it into the Garage, Colonel Truman is there, standing with military-straight posture and a rather disapproving look on his face.

"That was incredibly stupid of the two of you," Colonel Truman says, and Summer can see Scott's expression tighten even as he tries to help support Ziggy's weight as subtly as possible. Ziggy helps by not quite looking Colonel Truman in the eye, instead trying to look as serious as possible. "An incredibly foolhardy and an utterly reckless decision to make, but I must congratulate you on bringing the part in."

From the way Scott's face opens in shock, Summer can tell that this is the closest Colonel Truman has come to outright praising him in the past year and a half. It's definitely the first time Summer's seen it, herself.

Then Colonel Truman turns to Ziggy, and it almost looks like it's paining him to compliment a criminal. "And Ranger Green," he says, "You are equally as foolhardy as Ranger Red is, but at least yours was a risk made in a rescue of your teammate rather a foolhardy decision made to send yourself into danger. Not a move you should ever repeat, but a semi-admirable one, I must give you."

Ziggy looks like he's straining to make a wisecrack, but he's smart enough to just nod and say, "Thank you, Colonel."

Colonel Truman gives them both a sharp nod before leaving with his Lieutenants, and Ziggy blinks as they all leave the room. 

"You still think my Dad will have that bad of a view of you at the bonding ceremony?" Scott asks, a laugh barely contained in his voice at Ziggy's almost shell-shocked expression.

"I'm not entirely sure," Ziggy says, "I'll tell you the answer to that question again  _after_ he finds out I'm your Soulmate."

"You  _did_ save his son's life," Scott says, voice heavy as if the statement means more than just Ziggy chasing him into the Wastes today.

They don't get any more time to banter, however, as Dr. K turns to them with that familiar glare in her eyes.

"That was quite the stunt you two pulled," Dr. K says, and Summer can already tell that she's starting on what is likely to be a ten-minute lecture on the irresponsible use of teleportation and Ziggy and Scott risking their lives.

And true to form, that's exactly what she does.

-

After they leave the command center, Scott and Ziggy go out for lunch at Jungle Karma Pizza, their old favorite date spot. Owned by Casey and RJ Rhodes, a couple who’d been swept into Corinth along with most of the population with the initial Apocalypse, JKP’s was a favorite.

It feels nice to come back. A bit normal, almost. Like Ziggy and Scott are sliding back into old routines, old habit and places. It’s almost comforting for Mia, the hostess, to direct them to their seats with a smile and tell them that their waiter would be with them in just a minute.

“Wanna bet and see if we’ll get Casey or RJ?” Ziggy asks.

"We're gonna see Casey, almost no doubt about it," Scott says, and as if on cue, they enter JKP's to find Casey grinning at them.

“Nice to see you boys again!” Casey greets them, and despite the fact that Scott’s pretty sure that Casey’s only a year older than him the nickname for them sort of works. He’s not entirely sure why, to be honest- Casey isn’t a particularly mentor-like guy, carries no special wisdom- but he's never complained abut it, anyway. “It’s been a few months, hasn’t it?”

Scott and Ziggy look at each other as the reason for said gap in visits settles between them. “Yeah, it’s been a while,” Ziggy answers with a small, wry smile. “Been a bit busy. Found out we were Soulmates, though.”

Casey’s usual charming smile sharpens, just a little. “Due to Scott’s Ranger duties, I’m guessing?” he asks, almost as if he knows something more than he’s letting on.

“Not really,” Ziggy says, “Though I _did_ become a Ranger in the process as well, though, so…”

"You're a Ranger, Ziggy?" Casey asks even as he pulls menus out and leads them to their usual booth from before Ziggy's escape to the Wastes. They each take their usual sides of the booth as if no time has passed, and Casey hands them each a menu.

Ziggy nods. "It was kind of a long story as to how I became one, but yeah." He flashes his Morpher from beneath the sleeve of his leather jacket and Casey beams at him, almost fond in his smile.

“Have RJ or I ever told you where we’re from?” Casey asks, and Scott shakes his head, raising an eyebrow at Ziggy. Ziggy just shrugs, though, clearly as confused by where Casey’s going with this as he is. “We’re from Ocean Bluff.”

Ziggy’s expression freezes for just a second. Ocean Bluff? That’s where AJ was from, before the apocalypse, before Ziggy lost the only person he'd ever really loved before the world ended.

How in the world did Casey and RJ make it out, make it here and time, but AJ didn’t?

Scott takes Ziggy’s unusual speechlessness and reads between the lines, sensing the emotional gut punch Ziggy’s feeling right now. So he focuses on what Casey said instead, trying to continue the conversation in order to give Ziggy a moment to think.

“Did you ever meet a Jungle Fury Ranger?” Scott asks, wondering if that’s why Casey is hinting so heavily about Soulmates and Rangers.

Casey snorts, and that’s enough for Ziggy to look up in question, the brief look of grief passing from his face. “What’s so funny?” he asks, voice not defensive but honestly a bit confused.

“Well,” Casey says, “Let’s just say that RJ and I knew the Jungle Fury Rangers more closely than you might think.” He gestures up at the mantle of the fireplace in the middle of the store, and Scott spots a pair of red sunglasses right below a giant multi-colored drawing of a tiger.

“Holy shit,” Ziggy says, “You were-” His words halt as he looks down from Casey and back at Scott. “Scott, I said you were the best Red Ranger ever and that’s the honest truth, still, but I never thought I’d ever get to meet another one.”

Scott looks over the sunglasses, looks back at Casey, and all of the pieces fall into place. “You were the Jungle Fury Red Ranger,” he says, and Casey nods.

“And RJ was violet, if that means anything to you two,” he says, and Ziggy's jaw drops just a little further. Scott thinks about the fact that Ziggy's old Soulmate was actually from Ocean Bluff and that as much as Scott knows of previous Ranger teams, Ziggy's probably heard a lot about the Jungle Fury team in specific, from his old Soulmate's personal experiences.

"It definitely does," Ziggy says, his tone bordering somewhere between awed and just a little distant, as if he's thinking about AJ- something Scott can't really blame him for. For the first seventeen years of his life, Ziggy had a completely different Soulmate, a completely different guy he fell in love with before Scott. It makes plenty of sense that he'd think of AJ, that his first thought in a situation would be of AJ.

(Scott is well-aware of the fact that if the Apocalypse never happened, he and Ziggy never would have met, much less fallen in love. Ziggy would have actually have gotten to meet AJ, maybe have even ended up living in Ocean Bluff. Maybe Ziggy still would have bumped into Casey at the original JKP's, maybe met the Red Jungle Fury Ranger in Ocean Bluff.

One thing's clear, though- neither of them would have ended up as Rangers. Scott would still be in the Air Force, and Marcus would still be alive, without the Apocalypse. A  _lot_ of people would still be alive.

Scott never would have given up the world just for the chance to meet Ziggy, but after the world fell the way it did- well, he can't picture any better person to have ended up with after the world ended.)

"Our powers don't work anymore, though," Casey continues, "So we're just living relics."

"Why don't your Powers work?" Ziggy asks, raising an eyebrow.

"With so many humans dead, the Power had to leave a lot of the things that it previously powered. Our animal spirits, which we retained even if we didn't retain our Ranger abilities, can't do much at all without the Power to boost them." Casey glances at their clothing. "You might have noticed a bit of a pull to clothes of certain colors. We used to wear a lot of clothing of our color's power, but we often had the choice not to. From what I've seen of your team, you're psychologically incapable of not wearing your color." His voice goes a little pained as he says: RJ and I've got a theory about that and the Power, you know."

But then Casey's voice brightens. "Anyway, that's not important. Congrats on becoming a Ranger, Ziggy!" He gestures to their menus. "I'll be back in a few to collect your orders- though I'm sure they probably haven't changed much in the past few months." He winks at them and leaves the table, allowing Ziggy and Scott to sit together, just the two of them.

"They were Jungle Fury Rangers," Ziggy says, "AJ would have loved that."

Scott's not jealous of AJ Peterson- he thinks it might have made him just a bit of a dick if he was. Instead, he just feels sympathy for the small ache in Ziggy's voice, the wistful way he speaks of AJ.

But then Ziggy's expression shifts as he looks at Scott, his former wistfulness replaced by fondness. "But not as much as you must have. Meeting another Red Ranger? And the fact that it's  _Casey_ of all people? You must love that."

Now, Scott can't deny that fact- and he wouldn't need to, not to Ziggy. He doesn't have to keep anything from his Soulmate, not his nerdy love of Power Rangers, not his admiration of Casey and what Scott has heard that the Jungle Fury team did in Ocean Bluff.

"Not gonna lie," Scott says, "It  _is_ pretty cool."

Ziggy offers a hand across the tabletop, fingers facing upwards next to the menus, and Scott reaches out and takes it, easy as possible. No matter how many big surprises Scott is faced with, no matter how many surprise Power Rangers pop up, Scott knows that he'll have this, the two of them, him and Ziggy against whatever Venjix throws at them.

-

On their way out, Casey makes sure to catch them one more time. "You two feel free to drop by anytime, and to bring the other Rangers around too," he says, "There's not a lot of us left anymore, and talking to another Ranger can be nice even in a world as crazy as this one."

"I'm sure the team would love to meet you guys, anyway," Scott says, and he means it. He can only imagine Flynn talking to RJ, Dillon's expression at the cook's way of speaking, Summer talking to Casey about running a business. They'd all love it here, both the restaurant and getting to talk to a couple of former Rangers. "We'll see if they can make it one day that we have off."

Casey gives them both a sympathetic smile. "I remember being a Power Ranger too, kid. There's no such thing as a day off when you're the active team- especially not under Apocalypse level scenarios."

Ziggy shrugs as Scott signs the receipt. "You'd be amazed at what I can get away with, Casey."

Casey snorts. Though neither of them has ever told him what Ziggy used to do for a living, Scott's pretty sure that he's figured it out, what with the jokes he used to make about it. "I wouldn't put anything past you, Ziggy. Wouldn't put anything past  _any_ Green or Black Ranger, but that's a story for another time."

That's definitely a comment that Scott's going to follow up on, one day- the fact that Casey must have known other Rangers, other teams, must have been able to talk to them and possibly even fight alongside them. He must have a wealth of information about the Power and Power Rangers that he might be able to share with Dr. K, information that could help with the fight against Venjix.

But that's for another time, Scott knows as he looks at Ziggy. That can wait for tomorrow, because tonight- well, tonight he has slightly different plans.

Plans that are seen to fruition not even ten minutes later, when he and Ziggy are making out against the back wall of JKP's, just like old times. Plans that make Scott feel, for just a moment, like his old normal and his new normal aren't that different at the end of the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, here's a second apology for the late update! Hope you all have enjoyed this chapter and I hope that you won't mind waiting for the next one- let's all hope that it won't be as long as a wait for that one as for this one. Please leave a comment if you enjoyed it- comments are what really provide me with motivation and inspiration to keep going!


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